A National Tribal Craft Mela was inaugurated at the SCSTRTI campus here on Thursday by State Development Commissioner Injeti Srinivas.
The SCSTRTI (SC and ST Research and Training Institute), in collaboration with IGRMS, Bhopal, is organising the exhibition. Commissioner-cum-Secretary, ST & SC Development Department Sanjeeb Kumar Mishra attended the inaugural function in which Prof SCSTRTI Director AB Ota was also present. The craft of mat weaving of Tamil Nadu, Oraon painting of Madhya Pradesh, Meena wall painting of Rajasthan, Gond paintings and wood carvings of
Madhya Pradesh, Bhil paintings and iron crafts of Madhya Pradesh are on display at the exhibition.
Similarly, bamboo craft of Chhattisgarh, Warli paintings of Maharashtra, leather puppets of Andhra Pradesh, Chitra Patta of West Bengal, traditional Doli, Zo wood crafts, Meitei bamboo and craft textiles of Manipur and Deuri and Mishing textiles are among the other attractions.
Bamboo crafts of Assam, Madhubani paintings of Bihar and Kinnal crafts and wire dolls of Karnataka as well as paddy crafts of Bhattada, textile and bead works of Bonda, embroidery works of Dongaria Kandhs, beads and bamboo works of Chukutia Bhunjia, bamboo crafts of lodha, paintings of lanjia Saora, lost wax (Dokra) of Santals and Bathudi tribes of Odisha also add to the major attractions at the show.
In addition to all this, a photo exhibition “Abhivyakti: Diversity of the languages of cultural expression” has been organised by the Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya, Bhopal. A large numbers of visitors and tourists from across the country visited the Mela and interacted with the craftspersons on the inaugural day. Every day the Mela is open from 10 am to 7 pm from till December 23.