Bhubaneswar, Dec 16: Yesterday the Janta Maidan at the state capital witnessed the inauguration of the 11th Toshali National Crafts Mela 2016. It was inaugurated by the Handloom, Textiles and Handicrafts minister Smt Snehangini Churia. Minister of Tourism and Culture, Shri Ashok Chandra Panda, MLA Bhubaneswar (N), Shri Priyadarshi Mishra and BMC Mayor, Ananta Narayan Jena. This 13-day long festival has been organized by the Handlooms, Textiles and Handicrafts department for displaying the various handloom and handicrafts products.
This year around 350 handloom and handicraft stalls will be put up in the mela. 100 artisans and 50 weavers coming from different states of the country by DC (Handicrafts) and DC (Handloom), GOI respectively. Also 140 artisans and 60 weavers coming from different parts of the state will be sponsored by DH and CI, Odisha and Directorate of Textiles and Handlooms, Odisha respectively.
Besides, food court set up by various hotels and restaurants at the mela will offer varieties of delicious cuisines along with the traditional Odia cuisine. Cultural programmes will be organized every evening from 6pm to 9.30pm in which eminent artists and different troupes coming from parts of the state as well as the country in association with Odisha Sangeet Natak Akademi, Cultural department will be performing. Also on Dec 18, Bollywood singer and ex Indian Idol finalist, Amit Sana will be performing at the event and on Dec 25, on Christmas, famous Bollywood singer, Kavita Krishnamurthy will mesmerize the audience with her soulful numbers.
