Crafts mela a visual delight to visitors

Tirupati: Visitors at Sri Venkateswara University (SVU)’s Tarakarama Stadium were having a visual treat of various handicrafts from across the State. AP Tourism department’s Chittoor district wing is organising the Crafts Mela. VIBRI media which organises the SIIMA awards regularly is conducting the event on behalf of the State government. It was said to be the biggest in South India during the last three years.

• AP Tourism department’s Chittoor district wing is organising four-day mela at Tarakarama Stadium
• Women showing interest to purchase terracotta items
• Biggest event in South India in the last three years
• The AP Crafts Mela, which was opened on Thursday evening, was drawing sizeable number of crowds on the second day of four-day event. Kalamkari paintings, wood carvings, handloom saris, terracotta pots, leather puppets, jute handicrafts, bamboo works, wooden cutlery, Venkatagiri and Mangalagiri cotton saris were among several other items which are attracting the visitors.

Women visitors are thronging the outlets which are selling hand bags, saris, dresses and other items. Young ladies were showing interest at Banjara bags and purses which were famous in Hyderabad. Jyothi, a college going girl said, “these bags were something new for us. Prices were also reasonable. So, I am thinking to buy them”. Etikoppaka toys were looking nice and available at affordable prices.

The stall keeper M Rajali Baig said he came from Karlapudi in KVB Puram mandal. About 50 families in the village were relied on making these toys. Wherever, handicrafts emporium organises a fest, they will get intimation to open stalls. During normal days, they supply the toys to the shops at Srikalahasti temple area, he said.

Another merchant who opened a wood carving items stall was disappointed with poor patronage from the customers. “So far, I could not sell even one or two products, but I am hopeful that the business will pick up from tomorrow,” he wished. He is having products ranging from Rs 500 to Rs 60,000 in his stall. Contrary to this, terracotta items witnessing huge demand.

Umapathi, who came from Palamaner said, he was in the business for the last 25 years. The demand was ever increasing for terracotta products. Now, people were going back to yester years. They were showing interest on terracotta cookware again, he disclosed.

A seller of Mangalagiri saris, who came from Cherukupalli mandal of Guntur district, said that sales were satisfactory. “I have invested Rs 10,000 for luggage and other expenditure. If business goes on well during the remaining two days, I can get some profit. Otherwise, I have to bear the expenses from my pocket”, he said.

The State government’s initiative of Berkeley Andhra Smart village which were taken up with an MoU with Berkeley University, has opened a stall. The government has taken up five centres in five districts for the project. They are Kuppam in Chittoor district, Kaikalur in Krishna district, Undi in West Godavari district, Rajolu in East Godavari district and Narasannapet in Sri Kakulam district.

The items from these five centres were kept for sale in the stall. Mori handloom saris, Konaseema Pootharekulu, Budithi handicrafts and Kangundi Bongaralu (playing items for children) were available sale. The organisers said, they have opened 125 outlets in Kuppam constituency itself in different areas. The organisers of these outlets can order the products through e-commerce in which 120 corporate companies were tied up.

They can get the products at wholesale rate and can sell them having some margin in retail. With heavy rains forecast for the next two days, there was one thing common among all the stall keepers. They all were praying to the god that rains should not come these two days as they will dampen their business adversely.

For the visitors of these stalls, mouthwatering juices, mango jellies, Pootharekulu and other food items were also available. In all, about 80 stalls were opened. Also, 10 food courts were also set up. To entertain the evening crowds, who come for leisure, cultural programmes were also arranged with movie and TV artists and anchors, singers and others.

By V Pradeep Kumar