BIHAR SARAS FAIR ORGANIZED, DEMAND FOR KUTCH CRAFT PRODUCTS BY KUKU BEN INCREASED

BIHAR SARAS FAIR ORGANIZED, DEMAND FOR KUTCH CRAFT PRODUCTS BY KUKU BEN INCREASED

21-DEC-ENG 4

RAJIV NAYAN AGRAWAL

PATNA-------------------------People have been familiar with centuries-old handicrafts, folk art, culture, skills, and traditions at the Saras Mela, and everyone eagerly awaits its organization. A large number of people come to the Saras Mela to enjoy local delicacies.  The Saras Mela is being held again at Gandhi Maidan, Patna, where crafts, culture, traditions, and folk arts are displayed in their traditional style at various stalls.  Along with this, pure, nutritious, and traditional local dishes and sweets from Bihar and 25 other states of the country are attracting visitors.

In the seven days from December 12 to December 18, products and food items worth Rs. 7,74,40,400 were bought and sold.

The Bihar Saras Mela is being organized by the Bihar Rural Livelihoods Promotion Society (Jeevika) under the direction of the Rural Development Department of Bihar from December 12 to December 28.

At the Bihar Saras Mela, women entrepreneurs associated with self-help groups from various states across the country are presenting examples of women's empowerment and self-reliance.  Handicrafts, artificial flowers, garments, home decor, various varieties of rice, food items, and musical instruments made by women entrepreneurs from rural areas are being exhibited and sold.  Bihar's Tikuli art, Sikki art, Madhubani art, Manipur shawls, Rajasthan's Sanganeri print, Assam's bamboo art, cane handicrafts, bell metal handicrafts, shell handicrafts, jute handicrafts, paper handicrafts, Gujarat's Ahir and Kutch crafts, artificial flowers, etc., are being exhibited and sold.  Along with this, people are being informed about various schemes run by the state government. Stalls showcasing the success of the gradual increase program for poverty alleviation and the sustainable livelihood scheme, J.Wares and Souls products run by Jeevika sisters, and Khadi and silk garments at the stall of Shilp Gram Mahila Producer Company Limited are also present. Jute products and Sikki art, along with pure honey and other products at the stall of Madhugram Mahila Producer Company Limited, reflect the success of the government's poverty alleviation scheme.

Through the Saras Mela, Jeevika Didis and rural women are becoming economically and socially empowered, and women from other states are also getting acquainted with each other's folk art, crafts, and culture, setting an example of women's self-reliance.

Kuku Ben from Bhuj, Gujarat, has come to the Saras Mela for the third time. For the past sixteen years, she has been transforming her skills into a business through the Lakshmi Sakhi Mandal, providing employment to more than 60 women in her village. Kuku Ben sells women's garments such as kurtis, blouses, gowns, bedsheets, salwar suits, jackets, and decorative items made under Kutch and Ahir handicrafts. She has items ranging from purses costing Rs. 100 to blouses priced at Rs. 5,000. Hand-embroidered blouses under Kutch craft are in high demand. In 7 days, she has sold garments worth more than Rs. 60,000. Kuku Ben finds coming to the Bihar Saras Mela enjoyable and profitable. She has come with her daughter Mohini. Mohini is suffering from cancer. Her treatment is being funded by the money earned from selling products at the Saras Mela and other markets. Despite this, Mohini has come to the Saras Mela. Kuku Ben says that there is a high demand for handicrafts in Bihar, and besides the respect and recognition they receive here, all the women entrepreneurs get to learn about each other's crafts.

Visitors to the Saras Mela are enjoying pure, delicious, and nutritious dishes and sweets at various stalls, including Didi Ki Rasoi, in the food zone.

In the seminar hall, the capacity building workshop for Pashu Sakhis (animal husbandry assistants), organized by the Dairy, Fisheries, and Animal Resources Department under the aegis of Jeevika, continued on its fifth day.

Women associated with the Women's Industry Association and the Women's Development Corporation also participated. The entrepreneurs are selling products and food items produced by themselves.

Customer service center stalls are also available for visitors and entrepreneurs participating in the fair.  Cash deposits and withdrawals are being facilitated at these stalls.  Cashless payment facilities are also available at all the stalls.

Under the aegis of the Women and Child Development Corporation, artists from the Prahar Natya Sanstha presented street plays to raise awareness among visitors about the eradication of social evils.

Every day on the main cultural stage, women entrepreneurs associated with self-help groups, who are present at the Saras Mela as skilled entrepreneurs, are sharing their stories of struggle and success with the audience. Three skilled women entrepreneurs are also being honored daily by Jeevika Management on the main stage. On Friday evening, women entrepreneurs from Parev Jeevika Women Handicraft Cottage Producer Company, Parev, Bihta, shared their stories of struggle and success.

Following this, renowned artists presented folk songs and folk dances. Rakesh Prasad from Muzaffarpur enthralled the audience with his singing. His performance of songs like "Mere Mehboob Qayamat Hogi" highlighted his bright future.  Afterward, Rahul Sahni and Shahnaz captivated the audience with their renditions of songs like "Ehsaan Tera Hoga Mujh Par" and "Aapki Nazron Ne Samjha Pyar Ke Kabil Mujhe." Sarika presented a Ganesh Vandana.  Subsequently, Arun and his team presented folk dances. The stage was managed by Nazish Bano, State Project Manager, Jeevika. The program was coordinated by Asha Kumari, Project Manager, Jeevika.