Saras Ajeevika Mela registers footfall of 3.5 lakh in one week

Noida: Narra Sunitha (43) from Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh beams with pride as she sees her food products sell like hot cakes at the Saras Ajeevika Mela at Shilp Haat in Sector 33, Noida

Noida: Narra Sunitha (43) from Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh beams with pride as she sees her food products sell like hot cakes at the Saras Ajeevika Mela at Shilp Haat in Sector 33, Noida. Sunitha is a member of a self-help group of 15 women from Amruthalur who make food products under the name of Vinayak group. Her stall has been selling various kinds of pickles and spices.

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“This is my third time in Noida. We have sold 40% of the products we brought from our hometown,” she says.

According to organisers of the fair, the venue has been registering a footfall of at least 50,000 visitors every day since it opened to the public on February 17. “On the weekend, the footfall rose to 60,000. In total, we have registered a footfall of 350,000 visitors in the first seven days of the event,” said an organiser.

The fair, which will end on March 5, has been organised by the Union ministry of rural development with a focus on art, craft and culture. More than 150 stalls have been set up at the fair venue where 300 craftswomen associated with self-help groups from over 27 states are showcasing their products such as handloom sarees, dress material, accessories and organic handicraft products, said officials.

Pampi Talukdar, from Bajali district in Assam has put up a stall selling bamboo products made in Assam. “Our Self-Help Group works under the name of Navneeta and we have over 150 women from various villages in the district working with us. Some of our most-selling products are bamboo cups, trays and bags,” she said.

Madhu Mittal, a resident of Sector 50 in Noida said that she was impressed with the array of eco-friendly products being sold at the fair. “As an environment-conscious resident of Noida, there is a dearth of eco-friendly products in the market. However here at the Saras Mela, the products being sold represent the traditional Indian art, which is free from plastic. I brought various products including lord Ganesha idol made of paddy , water hyacinth carpets, bamboo coasters and wooden toys from the fair,” she said.

The venue has been decorated in a loud splash of colours, dotted with selfie points. Drummers and performers on high stilts ensure that visitors remain entertained.

With temperatures rising, the venue sees high footfall in the evening, when folk artists, dancers, musicians, and singers from different states of India perform on the stage to represent the country’s rich culture.

“So far we have had performances of Bhangra by artistes from Punjab, Naati from Himachal Pradesh and Rouf dance from Jammu & Kashmir. On Thursday, artistes from Gujarat performed the famous dandiya and garba performances. On Friday, Santhal tribal dance will be performed by artistes from Madhya Pradesh,” said one of the organisers.

Meanwhile, a workshop on designing and packaging was organized at the fair on Thursday by the National Institute of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj. The workshop was conducted by an official from National Institute of Fashion and Technology (NIFT), Delhi.

“The participants who work in self-help groups do not have professional experience of packaging their products hence the workshop helped them with the same. They were informed on how to do better designing and packaging of their products as it is pivotal in marketing and attracting consumers,” said Shakti Sagar Katre, who conducted the workshop.