In the ongoing SARAS Mela inaugurated at Dilli Haat, Near INA Market in New Delhi north east is the flavour of the season. Take a stroll around and almost half of the stalls and eateries are from the northeastern states. The SARAS Mela remains abuzz with activity and hundreds of people are visiting the Mela every day for handicraft products from Assam and Andhra to Karnataka and Bihar.
SARAS fair has been organized by the Council for Advancement of People’s Action and Rural Technology (CAPART) in collaboration with Ministry of Rural Development. It is being projected as a platform for the sale of products made by rural artisans.
At a nominal entry fee of Rs. 15 for adults and Rs. 10 for children, the ongoing SARAS Mela is a place worth visiting. Draped in yellow, saffron, green and red colour robes tugged along bamboo poles, the Mela wears a colourful attire among people coming from across India. Many foreigners can be spotted negotiating a bamboo handbag from Assam or an Andhra leather craft.
Enter the Mela and you are greeted by handmade daris (carpets) and Pashmina shawls from Kashmir. Move a little and stalls on both sides sell daily use products like pen case, chairs, bags, shoes, clothes and decorative stuffs like paintings, beads and flowers. Even jewelry and caps made of natural stuff can be found in many stalls. Interestingly most of these products are made from bio-degradable products and almost all of them by rural artisans.
One more thing that draws your attention amid the many hues and colours is the music, not of any Bollywood movie or classical maestro but of the ektara. Ektara is a one stringed instrument that produces mellifluous melody when played properly. And this is what the ektara sellers keep doing here for the whole day.
The SARAS Mela at Dilli Haat has a good collection of foods from various states of India. The stalls from northeast dominate this scene. Hot momos, chilli chowmein, thupka and yes the cola, coffee and hotdogs, the stalls here are doing brisk business.
If all of this seems less you have cultural programs from different states being organized every evening. And trust me; the cultural programs are not only about Thumri and Kuchipudi. You will witness a good deal of beauties dancing on the tunes of Jazzy music like in any Bollywood number.
So, try it out. You will have a world of fun here and good reason to splurge: Supporting rural artisans.
The article has been published on iSikkim.com
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