Odisha handicrafts just a click away

Bhubaneswar: Now, handicraft products and artworks of Odisha artists get an online platform for marketing.
A startup led by a city resident has launched an e-commerce website, Thoomri.com, for marketing of stone crafts, filigree, applique, dhokra, fine arts, pattachitra and other artifacts. Besides, it also sells hand-woven saris.
The e-commerce site has five sections - jewellery, handmade sari, gift items, fine art and corporate gifts.
The price range starts from Rs 500. Now the firm is busy in attracting domestic customers, but they will also accept orders from overseas very soon as they have obtained licence from the government, said the website sources.
The startups' founder-director, Rakesh Parida, who quit a job in a multi-national company to start his online venture, has engaged 14 associates educated from noted B-schools like IIM and XIMB in his company to make it customer-friendly and credible site for shopping art, culture and ethnic products.
Parida said his company will integrate artists in their supply chain.
The firm will buy artifacts from the artists and sell them on their site. "The artists are not getting a proper and regular platform for their business. Now they can sell their products through our platform round the year," he added.
He said they will participate in international trade fairs to market their products. "The Centre has selected us to take part in a trade fair in China from June 12 to 17. We are going there for promotion of our products," he added.
On his future plan, he said, the company will open a laboratory where artists can make their handicraft products. For that the artists will be supplied with the raw materials.
"Those, who want to buy our products offline, can come to our store," he said.
Some people, mostly women, have skills to prepare some crafts during their leasure time, but they don't get a market to sell them. "They can contact us to sell their products," he added.
Odisha has 50 government-approved crafts, including 14 dying ones. There are more than 1.3 lakh artists in the state. Three urban haats are there in Bhubaneswar, Puri and Konark for marketing of handicraft items. Besides, the government organizes fairs every year for marketing of these products.