Artisans Shine At Craft Mela, Draw Thousands Nagpur: Nearly 40,000 visitors gathered at the 32nd Orange City Craft Mela & Folk Dance Festival, held at the South Central Zone Cultural Centre (SCZCC), as the event concluded on Sunday. The 10-day cultural celebration featured 138 stalls showcasing handicrafts and textiles, alongside 25 food stalls offering regional cuisines. Nearly 300 artists performed throughout the event, with the final day witnessing a surge in attendance as visitors made last-minute purchases and attended the closing performances. SCZCC director Astha Godbole-Karlekar highlighted the sustained public interest in cultural events, noting that even on rainy days, crowds remained substantial. The mela attracted national and state award-winning artisans from across the country, providing a platform for interaction between craftsmen and buyers. Organizers emphasized the event’s role in preserving traditional art forms that are increasingly at risk of fading. The final evening featured a curated lineup of folk and tribal performances, including Shankh Vadan from Odisha, Dholu Kunitha from Karnataka, Chhau from West Bengal, Ranappa and Ger from Rajasthan, Bardoi Shiklan from Assam, Mathuri from Telangana, and Siddi Dhamal from Gujarat. Traditional performance forms such as Kachhi Ghodi, puppetry, bioscope shows, and bahurupi acts were integral to the event, with seven to eight folk groups performing each evening. The open-air venue brought together artists from multiple states, alongside local performers from Maharashtra and Vidarbha. On the concluding day, Karlekar felicitated Ashwin Dalvi, director of the West Zone Cultural Centre in Udaipur, and former SCZCC director Deepak Khirwadkar.#south_central_zone_cultural_centre #orange_city_craft_mela #astha_godbole_karlekar #shankh_vadan #dholu_kunitha
