Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Monday inaugurates National Toshali Crafts Mela-2014. The mela is inaugurated by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik at Janata Maidan, Bhubaneswar
This year the mela will accommodate 300 handicraft and handloom stalls. 161 artisans and weavers from different parts of the country and 139 artisans and weavers of the state will display and sale their products in the mela. A food court having 30 food stalls set by exclusive hotels and restaurants of the twin city will offer delicious multi cuisine foodstuffs to the visitors alongwith traditional Odia cuisine. The mela will host cultural programmes each evening, inviting eminent artists and troupes from different parts of the country as well as the state in collaboration with Odisha Sangita Natak Akademi and Culture Deptt. For the first time the mela will provide an unique opportunity to the public to enjoy the musical performance by young odia singer Ruturaj Mohanty, the India’s Raw Star Champion of Starplus channel on 21st evening. To add to the ambience, a theme pavilion “Magic in Metal” depicting the Dhokra casting tradition of the state is erected centrally which will tell the minute details of the making of Dhokra craft to finished products. For the first time 6 Govt. Educational Institutions related to Handlooms, Textiles and Handicrafts sector namely NIFT, Bhubaneswar, Indian Institute of Handloom Technology, Baragarh, Indian Institute of Textiles, Choudwar, ATDC, Bhubaneswar, CET, Bhubaneswar and SIDAC will open their stalls for awareness and to address queries among the student community of the State about the scope of Fashion/Textile education & Carrier opportunity offered in the said sectors.