Bhubaneswar: Sisir Saras, which is billed as the nation’s biggest exhibition of rural products, is drawing people from all walks of life at the Exhibition Ground of the city.
As many as 635 rural artisans from 24 States of the country are participating in the expected to participate in the 11-day-long exhibition.
The annual exhibition, which was inaugurated by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Friday, will continue till January 15. It remains open for the customers from 11 am to 10 pm every day.
The unique fair witnessed thousands of local people as well as tourists on the second day on Saturday to buy wide range of products – from intricate cane and bamboo products of Assam and Tripura to the delicate paper mache products of Pondicherry; wrought iron products from Uttar Pradesh, tussar silk of Chhattisgarh, woollen products of Manipur, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Jammu and Kashmir, various jute products of West Bengal, silk products from Varanasi, Chanderi silk of Madhya Pradesh, dry flower from Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh, home decor items and shawls from Gujarat, leather shoes from Punjab and Rajasthan, jewellery having Meenakari work from Rajasthan, Madhubani painting from Bihar and handlooms products from Andhra Pradesh and Kerala.
This apart, terracotta products, tribal jewellery, Dhokra products, cotton handloom products, Kendujhari Phula Badi, dry fish and spices from Odisha were the local attractions at the exhibition.
On the opening day of Sisir Saras, a mobile app — Mayurshilp — was launched by the Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. The app will help rural producers to have easy access to the market, understand consumer preference for specific products and meet demand for their product. The app was developed by ORMAS (Orissa Rural Development and Marketing Society), the organisers of the exhibition.
Every evening during the exhibition, cultural programmes representing Odisha culture and tradition are being presented by eminent artists for the entertainment of the visitors.
Delicious Odia food and sweet dishes prepared by various NGOs and women self-help groups are being sold in several stalls at the exhibition ground. – Odisha Channel Bureau
