Naqvi to inaugurate 4th 'Hunar Haat' in Delhi tomorrow

Works of artisans belonging to minority communities and Tihar Jail inmates will be on display at the fourth edition of the Centre's 'Hunar Haat', to be inaugurated at Pragati Maidan here by Union minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi tomorrow.

'Hunar (skill) Haat' is a platform created by the minority affairs ministry to offer employment and market opportunities to artisans and craftsmen from minority communities.

Speaking to reporters here, Minority Affairs Minister Naqvi said the fourth edition will continue till November 27 and will exhibit the country's "rich heritage and skills".

"This Hunar Haat is unique from earlier Hunar Haats as for the first time products made by inmates of Delhi's Tihar Jail are also available. These products include furniture, handlooms, handicrafts, bakery items, hand-prepared oil, organic spices and grain," he said.
 

Naqvi said that the artisans' exquisite pieces of handicraft and handloom works such as cane, bamboo and jute products of Assam; Tussar, Geeja and Matka silk of Bhagalpur (Bihar) and traditional jewellery from Rajasthan and Telangana will be on display at the Haat.

'Kantha' (type of embroidery) products of West Bengal; brocades, Lucknawi Chikan work, Zari Zardozi from Uttar Pradesh; clay items, blackstone pottery, dry flowers and traditional handicrafts of North-East; shawls, carpets and papier-mache of Kashmir; Ajrakh Print, Mutva, Kutch embroidery and Bandhej of Gujarat; Batik/Bagh/Maheshwari of Madhya Pradesh; Kalamkari of Telangana will also be exhibited.

New products to be displayed include baskets made from natural grass by artisans from Puducherry and Uttar Pradesh, Gotapatti work from Rajasthan and mural paintings from Gujarat, the minister said.

The ministry had earlier organised the Haat for the first time at Pragati Maidan last year. The second and third editions were organised in the national capital and Puducherry, which received "huge response", the minister added.

'Hunar Haat' will also be organised in Mumbai, Kolkata, Lucknow, Bhopal and other cities in the coming days, he said.

"Besides, we are working to establish a Hunar Hub in all states of the country where artisans will be provided training as per present requirement," he added.