Sisir Saras fair a big hit in capital

The Baramunda ground in Bhubaneswar is hosting an annual fair called Sisir Saras. This fair has become very popular with many artisans exhausting their stock within hours of the fair opening. For example, Mita Devi and Shantilata Devi from Jharkhand brought handmade lacquer bangles and wall hangings that were all sold out within a few hours of the fair opening. They are now waiting for their fresh stock to arrive from their hometown. Similarly, Up’s Shabina Khatun and Bengali’s Nupur Das are selling phoolpatti patchwork on bedsheets and cushion covers, and kantha stitch’saris and batik’ printed outfits respectively. These products are selling very well. Rural women art entrepreneurs and self-help groups from 24 states are displaying a wide range of rural products at the fair. This includes items such as terracotta items, carpets, wood and bamboo furniture, mirror encasing embroidery, delicate lace work, folk motifs on terracotta forms, metal and caneware bangles, wooden toys and trinkets, besides metal works from Madhya Pradesh, woodcrafts from Tamil Nadu, bamboo crafts from the Northeast, dh