Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh

Rajesh Prajapati from Bhopal is a happy man. There has been a crowd in front of his stall right from day one at Hunar Haat, going on in Lucknow. The 41-year-old is carrying forward his family legacy of pottery. He makes plates, glasses, cups and even pressure cookers in pottery.

“It is heartening to see so many people are preferring products made of natural material. Food tastes better in pottery ware and it is healthier, too.” said Prajapathi. “We are innovating all the time. Before a clay glass was a use-and-throw affair. But we have improved its quality so much that it can be reused,” he said as he turned to explain the workings of the pottery pressure cooker to a curious customer.

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Hunar Haat has been organised by the Ministry of Minority Affairs to provide craftspeople a platform to showcase their craft, cuisine and culture. On the occasion of the 75th year of Indian Independence, the central government has decided to organise 75 such Hunar Haat across the country.

Vocal for local

In Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh the Haat held at Awadh Shilpgram was inaugurated by Mansukh Mandaviya, Union minister for health and family welfare, and Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, Union minister of minority affairs, on November 12. The fair will continue till November 21. There are nearly 600 craftspeople from across the country at the Haat.  The theme of the Haat is Vocal for Local and Atma Nirbhar Bharat.

“I am a Kashmiri and I have brought along pashmina shawls, and woolens. I am a craftsperson but now I am also overseeing the marketing of the handicrafts,” Jahangir who has come to Uttar Pradesh all the way from Kashmir along with three other companions, told Gaon Connection.

“Hunar Haat has given me an opportunity to learn what sells fast in the market and what are the tastes of people these days. It provides us a platform to sell our handicrafts and learn so much more,” he said.

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In the next stall to Jahangir is a stall filled with more than hundred different kinds of wooden toys and decorative items. It belongs to Akbar who came there from Puducherry.

“Events like these go a long way in helping craftspeople. Now my toys are getting a wider market.  Both retailers and wholesalers now get in touch with us directly to buy our products,” Akbar told Gaon Connection. He said he was very grateful to the organisers for having provided him with an opportunity to grow his craft further.

An employment exchange for craftspeople

“Hunar Haat is proving to be an employment exchange for the country’s artists and artisans,” Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, Union minister of minority affairs, said during the inauguration ceremony. “From Kutch to Cuttack, from Kashmir to Kanyakumari, the skill, sheer talent and traditional art forms are getting an opportunity to present themselves at Hunar Haat,” he continued. He said such platforms were a spring board for thousands of artisans to earn a better livelihood.

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Mansukh Mandaviya, Union minister for health and family welfare spoke at the event too and shared an experience he had when he had visited Muscat recently.

“In a market at Muscat, I found Indian handicrafts going for thousands of rupees. I wondered why the artisans who made these beautiful handicrafts back home in India were not getting paid as much,” he said. “But, events such as Hunar Haat will give our artisans the opportunity to present their best and garner the attention of the world,” he said.  “The impact of this will be felt in the villages where the craftswoman practises her craft align with her kin. Vocal for Local will bring these artists and artistes together into one forum and help them,” Mandaviya reiterated.

Sukhdev Samanta sat at his stall with beautiful grass mats, chiks, table mats, etc. Samanta is from Midnapore in West Bengal.  “I have something for everyone from five hundred rupees to twelve thousand rupees,” Samanta told Gaon Connection. An artisan himself who wove mats for many years, Samanta is now selling the work of 12 craftspeople who work for him back home in his village. “I am earning well now and I am happy I am able to provide employment to so many others in my village,” he said.

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The taste of India

In the 75th year of India’s Independence the Hunar Haat will make its presence felt across the country providing unlimited opportunities to the crafts communities. 

Meanwhile, in Lucknow, the Hunar Haat buzzes with laughter, music, taste and smells of regional cuisine. Entry is free and Anita Singh has taken advantage of the fine weather to bring her two children to the fair. “I am fond of old fashioned crafts and there are so many here to choose from,” said Anita who was looking at the beautiful metalware from Moradabad. 

Not too far away, Tripti Gupta, a mixed media artist displayed her paintings. “My paintings are priced anywhere between hundred rupees to fifty thousand rupees,” she said to Gaon Connection as she gave finishing touches to one of her art works. “The best part is my stall has become somewhat of a selfie-point,” she laughed.

If you are unable to visit Hunar Haat physically, you can do so virtually. You can access the crafts of the artisans and buy them on https://hunarhaat.org/

Read the story in Hindi.