Our country is known for its diverse and splendid cultural heritage which consists of different art forms. Craftsmen and artisans used to be considered as highly talented and respected people in our society and their craft was highly valued. Nowadays, the local handicrafts industry is facing a lot of competition from machine made products and a lack of opportunity due to lack of a good platform for marketing.
To promote the talented indigenous art and artists, The Ministry of Minority Affairs started an initiative called “Hunar Haat”, a fun art festival which gives you a complete experience of the magnificent culture of India. The artists can not only show their talents through their striking art and cultural performances but they can also get employment under the government scheme called USTAAD (Upgrading the Skills and Training in Traditional Arts for Development).
How Hunar Haat helps craftsmen and artisans?
Hunar haat provides a platform for the gifted artists to showcase their skills in front of a huge audience. It provides multiple facilities to the craftsmen including the facility of e-commerce. The artisans can sell their crafts on the official website of Hunar Haat at www.hunarhaat.org.in. So if you can’t visit the art festival in person, then you have the opportunity to browse the extensive collection of indigenous handicrafts indigenous from the comfort of your home and get it delivered to the doorstep. It provides employment opportunities to the artisans and helps to keep our cultural heritage alive among the modern generation.
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How to register with Hunar Haat?
It is also very simple to register with the scheme as a craftsperson. If you are a craftsperson and want to display your products and register with Hunar Haat then you have to visit the official website. After that, you can click on the option “Craftsperson” and then select “register now”. A new registration tab will open up with details about the craftsperson. Fill the form with appropriate details and click on “submit” then you’re done!
Hunar Haat Events 2021:
This year, the Hunar Haat is being conducted across the country in multiple cities. The 26th Hunar Haat event was conducted on February 21st in the National capital, Delhi at Jawaharlal Nehru stadium. It continued upto 1st March and became a massive success. It was showered with appreciation and support from over 12 lakh people who visited the Hunar Haat. It was a 10-day exhibition and several eminent people like ministers, MPs and industrialists came to show their encouragement and motivation to the artists and love for indigenous art of India.
The 27th Hunar Haat is organised in Bhopal at Lal Parade Ground and is inaugurated by none other than the chief minister of Madhya Pradesh, Shivraj Singh Chauhan. The theme of this year is “Vocal for Local” which promotes the message of supporting local artists and art. It is an eminent affair with the participation of more than 600 artisans from more than 31 states in India. The exhibition will continue till March 21st. According to the Minority Affairs Minister, Naqvi, Hunar Haat proved to be a very successful initiative to support artists and craftsmen across the country and as it has been able to provide employment to over 5.5 lakh people. Hunar haat has been promoting the campaign “Vocal for Local” since a long time and has been successful in making the handicrafts industry mainstream to a great extent. Many famous artists such as Nooran Sisters, Shri Sudesh Bhonsle, Shri Altaf Raja,, Nizami Brothers, Mrs Shibani Kashyap, etc. will perform in Bhopal.
What to buy at Hunar Haat?
The handmade products that are sold by the traditional articles include jute-cane brass, wooden and clay products, ajrakh block print, pashmina shawl, khadi products, Banarasi silk, bangles, Rajasthani jewellery, Khurja pottery Phulkari, blue art pottery and several other interesting and exquisite beauties. The items are available in different price ranges, but you can find something for everyone here. Most of the items are very affordable considering the amount of time and energy spent crafting these products with hand from start to finish.
There are specific state related specialities available in the Hunar Haat, which makes you feel like you’re touring whole India at one place. Punjabi juttis are starting from Rs. 350, Lucknow’s Chikankari kurtis at Rs. 700, Rajasthani jewellery shop, which is a must visit for all the ladies and includes beautiful earrings starting at just Rs. 200 and elaborate statement necklaces at around Rs. 1000. There are beautiful handbags and purses available with fascinating artwork on it.
You can buy handmade furniture, mostly of jute-cane, like table, chair, stools, couches, etc. The jute shop even has jute slippers available at Rs. 250. Clay toys are available for kids and home decor. Special leather shop of Uttar Pradesh is another must-visit if you’re a fan of original leather products. If you want to be a little experimental, then go for the bone jewelry shop where you’ll find some exotic animal bone tribal jewelry. The traditional Kanjivaram saree shop should be visited by every saree lover.
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Things to do at Hunar Haat:
Hunar Haat is not only a treat for the eyes and the soul but it also has treats for your taste buds. There is a section called “Bawarchikhana”, where you will find traditional cuisines from all over India made by extremely talented chefs that you can enjoy after you are done with your art haul. Speaking about enjoyment, you can’t miss out the cultural programs organised here where several geniuses perform.
According to the plan of the Union Ministry of Minority Affairs, about 75 art exhibitions will be organised by the year 2022 which aims to provide employment to 7.5 lakh artisans and Craftsperson. After Bhopal, the next Hunar Haat will be organized in Goa on March 25th and then in Kota on April 9, then in Dehradun from 9th April to 18 April. The Hunar Haat will be organised in other major cities like Gauhati, Bhubaneswar, Prayagraj, Ranchi, Hyderabad and Mumbai this year.
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