Bhubaneswar: Craft exhibition organised to support terracotta artisans

A terracotta craft exhibition, 'Mruttika-2019' was inaugurated in Bhubaneswar on Saturday, October 19, which aims to provide a platform for marketing of the products of the clusters and individual artisans. Speaking at the inauguration event, Suresh Chandra Mohapatra, Development Commissioner, Odisha said it was a big opportunity for the terracotta artisans to sell their products directly to the consumers, right ahead of Diwali.

'A big opportunity for artists'

"From the past 13 years, we have been organising the terracotta exhibition at the State level. It is a big opportunity for artists to market their products just before the Diwali festival. In future, we will try to give more such opportunities to them", Mohapatra told news agency ANI. The event is organised by the Directorate of Handicrafts and Cottage Industries, Odisha and will be held from October 19 to 25. Around 200 artisans from 20 districts across the state are participating in the exhibition. 

Odisha government's plan to help the local artisans

Mohapatra also said that the Odisha government is committed to providing help to the local artisans and are looking at various ways to ensure better quality products in the future. "The government is providing training and other support to the local artisans and we have planned to provide them with better technical support, design-led training, and loan facilities in future so these artisans can design and produce better products," he said. The Odisha government has approved as many as 50 different crafts which are practised by more than 1.30 lakh artisans in varying degrees dispersed all through the state.

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The artisans participating in 'Mruttika-2019' too expressed satisfaction with the arrangements made at the exhibition and hoped for good sales ahead of the festival of lights. "I have come with many decorative pieces in this exhibition. Water fountains made out of terracotta is my speciality, I have been coming to this exhibition since the past 8-9 years and the sales are great. The people prefer goods made of clay over others," said an artisan at the exhibition. Another artisan added that "We are hopeful of good sales ahead of Diwali. This is a good platform for local artisans like us."

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(With ANI inputs)