About 100 stalls are part of the Bengaluru Art and Craft Mela, now under way at the Chitrakala Parishat.
The mela showcases work created by artisans from across the country, and is open from 11 am to 7 pm every day till January 10. Handloom saris, kurtis, artificial jewellery, toys, dress material and decorative items are among the more popular items at the fair. Music director V Manohar, who inaugurated the mela, said artisans had suffered severe hardship during Covid pandemic, and needed encouragement.
“Creating a market for the works of artisans is the need of the hour. Institutions such as the Chitrakala Parishath are rendering good service in this regard,” he said.
New items that have found a place in the annual mela are black pottery from Nagaland, wooden handicraft and watches from Delhi, bags from Gujarat, saris from West Bengal and Lambani embroidery and craft items from Karnataka.
Aftab, one of the organisers, says sales have come down by at least 40 per cent as compared to previous years.
“We have craftsmen who have travelled from across the country and we hope sales will pick up by the weekend,” he told Metrolife.