In the 10th century AD, when King Surajpal of the Tomara dynasty built an artificial lake on Southern Delhi Ridge of Aravalli range in Faridabad, little did he know that the Surajkund that he was building would one day become famous for an international crafts mela.
Barely 8 km from South of Delhi, the paleolithic sites with rock art and microlithic stone tools at Surajkund come alive every year in the month of February with the splash of colours and the drum beats of this unique festival.
This year the Surajkund International Crafts Mela started on February 3 and is set to continue till February 19. Organised by the Surajkund Mela Authority and Haryana Tourism in collaboration with Union Ministries of Tourism, Textiles, Culture and External Affairs, the 36th edition of the mela had North East as the Focus Region.
International pride
Occupying a place of pride on the international tourist calendar, more than a million visitors throng the mela during the fortnight including thousands of foreign tourists. The mela showcases the richness and diversity of the handicrafts, handlooms and cultural fabric of India and is the largest crafts fair in the world. ‘ A number of renowned national and international folk artistes and cultural groups present performances at both the Chaupals, the open-air theatres, located in the mela premises. Also, enthralling cultural evening programmes are held at the main Chaupal every day.
Heritage custodian
Surajkund Mela is a custodian of the heritage crafts involving the use of traditional skills that are fading away due to cheap machine made imitations, and a special section is earmarked for showcasing of these heritage crafts.
The multi-cuisine food court provides ethnic cuisines from all over the world, which are immensely popular with visitors. There are designated places for amusement, adventure sports and joy rides to make it a must visit event for the young. Catch some glimpses of the colourful festival here.
