Mysuru: Gandhi Shilpa Bazaar, the 145th Handicrafts Exhibition and Sale, will be held from Feb. 14 to 23 at JSS Mysore Urban Haat, Ring Road, Hebbal Industrial Area.

KGF MLA & Karnataka State Handicrafts Development Corporation (KSHDC) Ltd. Chairperson Dr. Roopakala M. Shashidhar will inaugurate the Bazaar tomorrow (Feb. 14) at 4 pm. Krishnaraja MLA T.S. Srivatsa will preside.

The expo-cum-sale will be open to public till Feb. 23 from 10.30 am to 9 pm.

The Office of the Development Commissioner for Handicrafts, Ministry of Textiles, Government of India, has been consistently working as the national nodal agency by organising various programmes to develop handicrafts, design and welfare. Through numerous schemes, it aims to make the art of skilled craftsmen accessible to art lovers across the country. With this vision in mind, the Department is organising several events for the culture enthusiasts of Mysuru. So far, 144 successful fairs have been held under this initiative.

The Office of Development Commissioner for Handicrafts holds several fairs every year to provide direct market access to craftsmen. One such event is Gandhi Shilpa Bazaar where over 70 stalls will showcase a variety of hand-crafted products from more than 18 States, including National and State Award-winning craftsmen. It provides Mysuru’s culture-loving public with access to a wide range of handicrafts and handloom products. Craftsmen will design new products based on customer preferences and market demand.

Products on display will include Wood Carving, Stone Sculptures, Brass Statues, Wood Inlay Art, Clay Pottery, Paper Crafts, Gemstone Jewellery; Cotton Weaving, Imitation Jewelllery, Wooden Artifacts, Batik, Kalamkari Paintings; Leather Goods, Artistic Leather Footwear, Channapatna Toys; Kutch Embroidery, Madhya Pradesh’s Maheshwari and Chanderi Sarees; Odisha’s Pattachitra, Silver Artifacts, Bamboo and Cane Works, Chicken Embroidery, Dry Flowers; Artistic Stone Sculptures, Punjab’s Phulkari Fabrics and much more. This fair allows for direct communication and interaction between customers and producers, without intermediaries, thus fostering better relationships between the two.

Additionally, free stalls will be provided to the participating craftsmen. Travel allowances and daily stipends will also be provided by the Office of the Development Commissioner for Handicrafts.

This will be a great opportunity for  Mysureans to appreciate and experience the artistry and craftsmanship from various regions of India.