The Surajkund Crafts Mela is organized each year by the
Tourism Department in Haryana in February. This is a very colorful and exotic
handicrafts and handloom fair that is planned each year to popularize the
traditional handicrafts in India made by the rural folks in Surajkund. This was
first organized in the year 1981 and it continues to be a major platform for
Indian artisans to showcase the skills in the art work and crafts.
About the
Fair
This is a weeklong fair, which is celebrated annually.
Scores of skilled artisans from all over India come here to participate and
promote their crafts. Some of the work that is displayed here is age old and
has been passed down since ages. Surajkund mela provides its visitors the
skilful and exquisite textiles, paintings, ivory work, wood stock, terracotta,
pottery, lac work, grass work and stone work. The visitors can also shop here
extensively for some of the world’s treasured wares.
This fair is not just limited to artworks and exhibitions
but also showcases a visual delight to the visitors in the form of performances
from the special Natyashala folk dances and music filled evenings at an open
air theatre present in the venue.
What More?
There’s more to it. A diverse range of delicious savories,
which is prepared by exponents, is also offered to the visitors. The cuisine is
generally rural, which is kept so to match the theme of the festival. Each year
the Surajkund crafts festival has a theme, inspired by the artworks from a particular
Indian state and the entire ambience of the fair is designed accordingly. Many
states showcase their finest handlooms, delicious rural cuisines and
handicrafts in this fair.
Themes for the fair in some of the fairs were Madhya Pradesh
in 2009, Paschim Banga in 2008, Andhra Pradesh in 2001, Maharashtra in 2006 and
the state of Chattisgarh in the year 2005.
Getting
There
Surajkund is a major place located at a distance or 8 km of
South Delhi in the city of Faridabad. This place is very easily accessible by
road from Delhi. The Haryana Tourist Bureau arranges special tours from 36
Janpath Road in New Delhi.
The nearest airport is located in Delhi. The site where this
fair is organized is at a distance of 25 km from Palam Airport.
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