12-day National Shilp Mela all set to begin today at NCZCC

Prayagraj: The National Shilp Mela (crafts fair) would be organised by the North Central Zone Cultural Centre from December 1. The fair, which will continue till December 12 would host number of colorful programmes under Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat. Artisans from 22 states of the country will display their craft products in this craft fair to be organised at NCZCC. Along with this, people will be able to taste the cuisine of different provinces in the fair. This fair has become a centre of attraction for the people of Prayagraj from last several years.
Colorful cultural performances of folk artists from many states of the country will also take place every day in the fair. Special efforts have been made in the fair to connect the young generation with tribal, folk, classical, ecclesiastical singing and playing as well as dances. In the fair, Karnataka’s silk suit and other products like Madhya Pradesh’s hand embroidery, UP Jharkhand, Bihar’s silk clothes, shawls, Jaipuri quilts, stone jewelry from many states, sarees from many states, Hyderabad’s famous pearl, paddy jewelry from Bengal, mats, dry flowers, Leather craft of many states, stone carving of Rajasthan, mosaic glass terracotta utensils would be on display and sale.
Likewise, this year, many celebrity artists are coming to the fair. Among them Bhojpuri folk singer Maithili Thakur, Sushri Chandan Tiwari, tambura player and bhajan singer Manish Agarwal, ghazal singer Rajab Ali, folk singer Kishore Chaturvedi, Jaya Prabha performing Mohini Attam will be the center of main attraction. Various artist groups from New Delhi, Karnataka, Varanasi, Bihar, Tripura, Orissa will present their regional folk arts. Punjab, juti, brass utensils of Moradabad, God’s dress, wooden toys, bed sheets will be the main attraction.
Cultural programmes will be organized daily in the fair, about 450 folk artists invited from different states of the country will give their presentations in the programme.