Urban Haat, a dedicated cluster of buildings where artisans from different parts of the country can demonstrate, exhibit and sell their products, will be opened at the Dr. Shivaram Karanth Pilikula Nisargadhama on March 25.
Sanctioned in 2009 by the Union government, the Rs. 3.11-crore project was completed in 2011.
According to S.A. Prabhakara Sharma, executive director of the nisargadhama, a 10-day craft bazaar would also commence at the ‘haat’ from Friday. It would end on April 3.
Union Minister of State for Textiles Santosh Kumar Gangwar would inaugurate the haat. R.V. Deshpande, Minister for Industries and Tourism, would inaugurate the craft bazaar.
Cluster
The ‘haat’ is a cluster of nine buildings built with funding from the Union and State governments.
It has four buildings with 40 permanent exhibition stalls with 10 stalls in each building, two buildings with two exhibition halls, two dormitory buildings for men and women and a restaurant.
He said that the Union government gave funds for organising three categories of government shows at the ‘haat’.
They included Gandhi Shilp Bazaar — for which the Centre gave 100 per cent grants — and Craft Bazaar and demonstrative exhibitions — for which they gave 75 per cent grant.
The balance amount would have to be borne by the Nisargadhama society.
In addition, the Nisargadhama could organise private shows by collecting nominal rents from the artisans, who need not be government card holders, for maintenance of the ‘haat’.
Artisans identified by the Union Ministry of Textiles and Handlooms, having identity cards issued by it can demonstrate, exhibit and sell different products at the Urban Haat.
Some of the products which may be exhibited at the ‘haat’ in the coming days are Madubani paintings, Dhocra casting, Tanjavur paintings, bead jewellery, pearls, leather, wood inlay, agarbathi, imitation jewellery, tribal jewellery, lavancha, paper machine, patch work, natural fibre, metal artware, cane and bamboo, leather juthi, Kantha stitch saris, shawls, iron, terracotta, tie and dye, dhurry, sea shells, Kalamkari, mat work, Sholapitti, chikan art work, glass crafts, blue pottery, kasuthi saris, handlooms, jute crafts, applique, Meenakari paintings, Khadi, Banarsi saris, block prints, Sharanpur wood crafts, Shanthinikethan bags, Bagru and Dabu print, marble artefact, real gold work and horn products.
