In order to promote the traditional Indian Handicrafts, Surajkund Crafts Fair, a delightful handloom and handicrafts fair is held annually at Surajkund in the first fortnight of the February. Skilled artisans from all over India display the rich crafts tradition of country in the typical rural setting. Cultural programmes and rural cuisine are also part of this colourful fair.

Conceived in 1987, Surajkund Crafts Fair provides a platform for the artists to share their art with the common man. While craftsmen from all over India participate, one particular state is focused as a Theme State each year. The fair attracts millions of visitors, both for the amazing range of interesting crafts, it showcases as well as the relaxing rural ambience of the fair grounds. The fair also provides a meeting ground for the talented painters, weavers, sculptors and craftsmen form all over India, who exhibit their creations and; arts & crafts lovers, who flock here to admire and purchase these creations.

The fair venue, surrounded by the Aravalli range, is enlivened with the arrival of master craftsmen from different parts of the country in the month of February. As one enters the fair, one is greeted by a 'living' Indian village. The uneven, unpaved paths lead to innumerable thatched platforms that provide glimpses of the exquisite and skilful paintings, textiles, wood stock, ivory work, pottery, terracotta, stonework, paper-mache, lac work and cane and grass work. There is an amazing variety and diversity in each craft.

Three areas get focussed in Surajkund Crafts Fair as...

Crafts

Some of the most deligtful crafts collections of the fair arrive from practically all over the country. Wood & cane, inlay work, rose wood carving, sandal wood come from Punjab and South India. Chiki wood craft of Kashmir and some very fine cane craft come from West Bengal and North Eastern States. Delcate sholapith and shital patti work come from Assam and West Bengal. The phulkari of Punjab, the Banjara and Banni embroidery of Gujarat and Rajasthan, the Kantha traditions from West Bengal and Tripura, lace and crochet from Goa, the Suzni of Kashmir and Mirror encasing work along with the traditional chikan work of Lucknow delight. Oxidized jewellery, sea shell decorations and agate stone work delight as also do delicate gold work and chunky silver jewellery. Toys in wood and cane, ply and mud make the young thrill with joy. Some of the fine phad paintings of Rajasthan, the kalamkari of Andhra and Karnataka, temple paintings of Orissa, madhubani of Bihar, fascinate. In the metal section tribal dhora work, classical south Indian metal work, glittering brass ware, bell metal and iron craft delight collectors. In the field of woven textiles some of the finest silk work of Orissa, Patola, Bandhini of Gujarat and Rajasthan, Ikat, Kanjeevaram, Dharmavaram and temple silks of South India vie for attention with the most simple cottons of West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and tribal textiles of North East India as also do the handloom of Haryana. The Various Craftsman particpated in the fair every year. The Crafts, which get displayed in fair are as...

• Cane & Bamboo
• Cane and Bamboo Craft
• Glass Weaving
• Screwpine Work
• Sikki Grass
• Embroidery
• Bead Work
• Crochet & Embroidery
• Hand Embroidery
• Kantha Embroidery
• Phulkari
• Rabri Embroidery
• Suzni Embroidery
• Metalware
• Bell Metal
• Bidri
• Brass Ware
• Bronze Sculpture
• Dhokra Casting
• Iron Craft
• Metal Ware
• Pottery
• Black Pottery
• Khurja Pottery
• Terracotta

Culture

The Surajkund Crafts fair has grown equally famous for the rhythms of folk theatre. It resonates with the formal notes of the classical genre. The heady rhythms of percussion instruments. The ballads of singing minstrels. The clebration of the simple joys of rural life and reverence of epic traditions all mingle well. All these colourful events are also presented before the audience in the open-air-theatre named Natyashala.

Cuisine

The fortnight long celebrations also comprises Food Festival. Some of the popular food traditions from Punjab come at the Punjabi 'Rasoi'. South Indian delicacies come in from South Indian Section. Popular Chinese and snack foods also arrive for the event along with a special stalls where patrons are introduced to the traditional foods and sweet meats of the selected theme State.

Happening Events

Happening Events of fair are as...

• Food Festival
• Vivacious folk dances and vivid theatre activities during whole day
• Prizes in daily draw on fair entry tickets
• Handicfatrs stalls from all over India
• Handloom stalls from all over India
• Workshop on Crafts
• Crafts on sale / display by physically challanged children
• Photography competition on theme of 'Crafts and Surakund Fair'
• Buyer-Seller discussions at the Business Facility Centre
• and of course fun unlimited

"Every Arts & Crafts Enthusiast of the world must visit Surajkund Crafts Fair at least once"