Here are the highlights of the 14th Toshali National Crafts Mela in Odisha

The 14th edition of the 'Toshali National Crafts' Mela began in Bhubaneswar on Sunday. The mela was organized by the Handlooms, Textile, and Handicrafts Department, Odisha. It witnessed the participation of several weavers, artisans, and sculptors from all over the country.

Toshali Crafts Mela aims to offer an open platform to artists, artisans and connoisseurs of the handloom industry to interact and strengthen the position of economically deprived weavers and artisans of the country. It also preserves and nurtures traditional art forms, handicrafts and handlooms of India and creates awareness among people about unique dying skills and creative intricacies involved in making these underrated products.

The mela was inaugurated by Odisha Handloom, Textiles and Handicrafts Minister Padmini Dian, who was accompanied by the secretary of the Handloom, Textile and Handicrafts Department, Nitin Chandra.

Chandra told the media that the minister visited many of the stalls and looked into the products. Dian addressed the visitors and artists and said, “Our Handloom department is trying its best to develop the lives of artisans as well as of the handloom, textile and handicrafts. Our department will soon include 5Ts in all our work to ensure swift development.”

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Anjana Panda, the Joint Secretary of Handlooms, Textile, and Handicrafts Department, Odisha told a news agency, "People from all over the country, and especially the artisans of Odisha, have participated in the 14th edition of this mela. There are about 500 stalls here."

She also said that additional facilities, such as wheelchairs and toilets for the specially challenged, were provided in some cultural programs that were conducted in the mela. The event was also plastic-free.

The Joint Secretary reiterated that they build the capacities of the people, train them and create new designs. The artisans and craftsmen wait for these opportunities so that they can earn a year's income from a single event, she added.

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"I have been coming to this mela for more than three years. People mostly prefer shawls and suits in red and black color. The response of the people has been very good," a weaver, Mansoor Ahmed told the media.

Reenita Mukherjee, another weaver appreciated the initiative of the Odisha government and said that it is a good platform for the handloom industry which needs to be preserved. "Every state of the country has a different cultural heritage which can be seen in their handlooms," she said.

As many as 50 weavers participated from different states in the mela. Janta Maidan held an exclusive handloom expo which had more than 380 stalls featuring handiworks of more than 400 artisans and weavers. The grand mela is going to conclude on December 27.

Many weavers were awarded for their art in hand-looming. The lifetime achievement award was given to a Shilpi Guru Banamali Mahapatra, along with Rs 1 lakh in cash and a certificate. State Handicraft award went to Brahmananda Maharana, Debendra Maharana and Suman Meher among others. Eight artisans received Kalakrutee Samaan. Mukund Meher received a State Handicraft award with Rs 25,000 cash award and a certificate for Sarpa Bandhan Saree made of Tassar fabric. The food court consisted of more than 40 food stalls and many food bloggers were seen documenting the diverse culinary art of the state.

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(With Inputs from ANI)