Preps afoot as Surajkund fair to be back with crafts, food and music from Feb 7

FARIDABAD: Surrounded by the Aravalis, a 45-acre ground in the city is aflutter with activity – hundreds of stalls are being put in place to showcase arts and crafts from across India and other countries.
In just four days, Surajkund will open for the annual 38th crafts fair, the theme for which is Odisha and Madhya Pradesh this edition.
Officials told TOI the fair this year will feature artists, weavers and crafts-persons from MP and Odisha, along with participants from BIMSTEC nations – Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand, and 50 other countries.
Other than art and crafts, visitors can savour traditional and delectable cuisines from 15 states.
Haryana tourism corporation on Sunday unveiled the Surajkund Craft Mela calendar, which will feature performances by renowned artists, including musicians Dr Satinder Sartaj, Papon and Parmish Verma.
Haryana's heritage and tourism minister Dr Arvind Sharma last Friday met Union culture and tourism minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat in Delhi and invited him to the opening ceremony of the fair.
The Union minister, at the meeting, expressed that Haryana's tourism sector should gain global recognition, similar to the prominence achieved by the Surajkund fair. He emphasised that the Centre has worked to establish Haryana's tourism presence internationally, particularly through events like the Surajkund International Crafts Mela.
"It is essential to elevate Haryana's tourism to international recognition, similar to the crafts fair. The central government, in collaboration with the Haryana government, shall devise a dedicated action plan to showcase and promote the state's cultural wealth globally," said Dr Sharma.
The Union minister also recommended organising theme-based fairs at Surajkund, inspired by similar models of exhibitions held in Mumbai, Kolkata and other cities.
The fair, which will conclude on Feb 23, will start from 10am and go on till 10pm. Tickets cost Rs120 on a weekday and Rs180 on the weekends.
Introduced in 1987, the Surajkund mela is organised by the Haryana tourism department every year. It has, over the years, evolved into a gathering of international and national craftspeople and exhibitors from across nations.