Srinagar, Mar 12: The Jammu and Kashmir Rural Livelihood Mission (JKRLM) will be hosting an 11-day national-level event in Srinagar where women artisans from across India will showcase their handcrafted goods. The program will take place at Ghat Number 8 on Boulevard Road in Srinagar from March 15 to March 25.
The event, called Saras Aajeevika Mela, is an initiative supported by the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM) scheme of the Ministry of Rural Development Department. The goal of the event is to facilitate and motivate beneficiaries of JKRLM Self Help Groups (SHGs) to showcase their products directly at the exhibition, thereby eliminating the middleman culture.
This is the first time that the event is being held in Kashmir, and it will provide an opportunity for women from rural areas to promote their products by connecting with many buyers and excellent market players at a good price. The SHG Artisans and Craftsmen from various states of India will participate in the Mela, where they will establish their stalls and display their products ranging from handicrafts, handloom, and other food cuisines famous in different states and UTs.
The exhibition will showcase a range of traditional and local artisanal handmade products for the first time in Srinagar city. Banarasi Sarees, Patiala Jutti, Gujarati Bandhani, Agra’s Zari, Lucknow Chikankari, and Kashmiri Shawls, as well as other well-known products, will be on display. Additionally, cultural music evenings and recreational activities for children will be held.
JKRLM had already held its maiden Saras Mela in Jammu in February, with around 300 women from SHGs from around 17 states and UTs participating and showcasing their indigenous products. The Mela was a “big success and a historic moment,” according to the Mission Director (MD) JKRLM, Indu Kanwal Chib.
Speaking to Rising Kashmir about the event Mission Director Indu Kanwal Chib said, they are trying to create history here in such a way that the entire nation of India will be in Srinagar for the event. And at a time when tourist traffic is at an all-time high.
The JKRLM expects women artisans and others from nearly 20 states and UTs to attend the event in Srinagar.
“The event we did in Jammu was good, and bringing in artisans and their goods to Kashmir is a little hectic because the huge goods have to be transported to the valley for exhibition while we don’t have direct connectivity like the railway we had in Jammu,” she said, adding that JKRLM is ensuring that all artisans and craftsmen have a smooth journey to Srinagar, MD JKRLM said.
“Kashmiri has seen the goods of Kashmir so well, now we want to get in the rural handmade products from rural areas of other states to Kashmir for exhibition. This is a forward market linkage for my rural Self Help Groups,” she explained.
JKRLM is connected to 623914 SHG members (Umeed), and 77886 Self Help Groups are currently operating in J&K, an official said.
