As part of the 75th-anniversary celebrations of Independence of India – ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav – Ministry of Minority Affairs will organise 75 ‘Hunar Haat’ events showcasing the skills of traditional craftsmen and their products across the country beginning with the first one to be held in Rampur, Uttar Pradesh, from 16-25 October.

“Artisans and craftsmen from more than 30 States and Union Territories will bring their exquisite handmade products for sale and display at the ‘Hunar Haat’. Besides ‘Vocal for Local’, the upcoming ‘Hunar Haat’ will also be based on the theme of ‘Best from Waste’,” Union Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said here.

Apart from Rampur, Hunar Haat will also be organised at Dehradun (29 October to 7 November), Lucknow (12 to 21 November), Hyderabad (26 November to 5 December), Surat (10 to 19 December), New Delhi (22 December 2021 to 02 January 2022).

“Hunar Haat” will also be organised in Mysuru, Guwahati, Pune, Ahmedabad, Bhopal, Patna, Puducherry, Mumbai, Jammu, Chennai, Chandigarh, Agra, Prayagraj, Goa, Jaipur, Bengaluru, Kota, Sikkim, Srinagar, Leh, Shillong, Ranchi, Agartala and other places in the coming days, the Union Minister said.

Naqvi said that “Vishwakarma Vatika” would be one of the main attractions in “Hunar Haat” to be organised across the country. “Artisans and craftsmen will display live, how these traditional indigenous products are made in these “Vishwakarma Vatika”. It will be helpful in preserving and promoting the traditional art and craft of the country,” he said.

The minister said apart from “Vocal for Local”, the upcoming “Hunar Haat” would also be based on the theme of “Best from Waste”. Exquisite products made from used and discarded items in households such as plastic, paper, ply, wood, glass, ceramic, jute, cotton, wool as well as banana stems, sugarcane pulp, paddy and wheat straw-stems, husk, Tur, rubber, iron, brass, etc will be available in the “Hunar Haat”.

Among other attractions, there will also be traditional food for the visitors at Hunar Haats. “The people will also enjoy traditional food from almost every corner of the country under one roof at “Bawarchikhana” section in the “Hunar Haat”, Naqvi added.

Renowned artists Pankaj Udhas, Kailash Kher, Anu Kapoor, Sudesh Bhosle, Kumar Sanu, Roop Kumar Rathore, Sonali Rathore, Altaf Raja, Nizami Brothers, Vivek Mishra, Neelam Chauhan, Rekha Raj, Prem Bhatia, Bhupendra Singh Bhuppi, and Nooran Sisters will also perform live every day in the evening at the “Hunar Haat” in Rampur.

“‘Hunar Haat’ has become a “credible platform” to strengthen Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call for “Swadeshi-Swavlamban” and “Vocal for Local” and providing market to indigenous products of traditional artisans and craftsmen,” the minister said adding that “during the last about seven years, more than 5 lakh 50 thousand artisans, craftsmen and people associated with them have been provided employment and employment opportunities through “Hunar Haat”.

Naqvi said a target has been set to provide employment and employment opportunities to lakhs of artisans, craftsmen during the 75 “Hunar Haat” events being organised under “Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav”.