In a bid to promote the art of pottery and clayware and improve the financial conditions of clay artisans, the Uttar Pradesh government will organise Mati Kala Mela from October 14 to 23 in Lucknow on the occasion of Diwali.
The 10-day-long exhibition organised by the UP Mati Kala Board will be held at Sangeet Natak Academy in Gomti Nagar.
The Mati Kala Mela will showcase handcrafted products made from clay by artisans from across Uttar Pradesh. Craftsmen from all districts of the state will be exhibiting their skills and talents via their products at the fair.
The Mati Kala Board will bear the cost of lodging for the participating artisans for 10 days. The artisans will also be exempted from paying stall charges.
A wide range of products will be exhibited at the fair, including terracotta of Gorakhpur; black pottery of Azamgarh, earthen cooker of Khurja, in addition to clay products of Agra, Lucknow, Mirzapur, Azamgarh, Chandauli, Unnao, Ballia, Kanpur, Pilibhit, Allahabad, Varanasi, Ayodhya and Banda.
Promoting ‘Vocal for Local’ this Diwali, products such as idols of Lord Ganesh and Goddess Lakshmi, decorative lamps and diyas, earthen lamps and other clay and handmade products will be available at the exhibition.
This year, the idols of Ganesh-Lakshmi will be made using standardised moulds of eight inches, which will ensure uniform size and shape. The moulds have been made available in every district. According to the need, the production can be increased by making duplicate moulds from them.
Only 37 districts were provided these moulds last year. These standard-sized moulds have been made available to Khadi Board's training centres located in Lucknow, Mau, Allahabad, Azamgarh, Basti, Jalaun, Najibabad, Mathura, Shahjahanpur and Gorakhpur.
Besides displaying a wide variety of clay products from different districts, the Mati Kala Mela will feature live demonstrations of how the products are made to encourage aspiring artisans as well as to raise awareness about Uttar Pradesh’s rich heritage of craftsmanship among people.
The Mati Kala Mela will also feature 3-day training for aspiring artisans. The three-day seminar on technical know-how will help the artisans learn about the use of tools and machinery in the making of clay products. Information regarding packaging, marketing, and especially e-marketing will be also provided.
As per the intentions of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, the initiative is designed to curb the sale of Chinese idols and products during the festive season and to reclaim the domestic market.