The Indian government’s 'Hunar Haat' festival has already kicked off its latest edition in Mathura, Uttar Pradesh. As per the Ministry of Minority Affairs (MoMA), which organises the festival each year, the event has provided employment opportunities to over five lakh artisans across India in the last five years. The latest event in Uttar Pradesh is also set to see over 400 artisans and craftspersons from more than 30 states and union territories participating from more than 30 states and union territories across the country.
“Hunar Haat, a platform to provide market and opportunities to centuries-old traditional and ancestral arts and crafts of India, is strengthening the ‘swadeshi’ and the ‘vocal for local’ campaign. It has also ensured economic empowerment of indigenous artisans and craftpersons,” said Union minister for minority affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi in a statement.
The event has become one of MoMA’s flagship events, helping artisans across India showcase their products all under one roof. The Hunar Haat is a part of the Upgrading the Skills and Training in Traditional Arts/ Crafts for Development (USTTAD) scheme of the MoMA that was launched in May 2015, to preserve the heritage of traditional arts of minorities across the country. Besides the evident ‘vocal for local’ theme of the festival, its latest edition will also see a theme of ‘best from waste’. Products made from discarded household items like plastic, paper, ply, wood, glass, ceramic, jute, cotton, wool, sugarcane pulp, paddy and wheat straw stems, husk, will be a part of the showcase this year.
As per the ministry, the Hunar Haat event is also set to be organised in other Indian cities such as Lucknow, Hyderabad, Surat, and New Delhi in the next two months.
Image used for representational purposes only.