Even though I have been living in Faridabad for the last five years, this was my first time when I finally had a chance to visit SURAJKUND INTERNATIONAL CRAFTS MELA. The venue happens to be only 20 minutes away from my house but during the mela season it was a different story altogether. It took close to two hours to finally reach the parking area. But after treading the jam-packed roads, it’s all worth it. The splash of colors that awaits you there has no match. Don’t you dare forget to carry your camera!

So after planning it every year and failing to be there, I was thrilled to make it this time. And honestly, I was all amazed to see the richness of Indian handicrafts and the talent of the artists from different states of the country. The colors, the creatives, art, handicrafts, handlooms, everything about it absolutely endearing to the eyes and heart. While it is a place to shop and buy, pick unique decoratives for the house, I would also call it a place of learning. The theme state is a lovely concept to bring forth the uniqueness and hidden features of it. This time I picked a lot of information about Johar Jharkhand. Moreover, this place is full of creativity and colors. I grabbed on every chance to interact with the artists to learn about their different art forms. There was wooden toy making from Varanasi, leather puppetry from Andhra Pradesh, Zinc-silver carved utensils from Karnataka, Paper Mache from Jammu and Kashmir, Madhubani paintings from Bihar, Iron-made artefacts from Chhatisgarh, Gulabi Meenakari from Varanasi, Terra cotta work from Delhi, Wooden Toys from Orissa and much more.

SURJAKUND CRAFTS FAIR is not only one of the most beautiful fairs of India but also one of the largest craft fair in the world where one gets to witness the diversity of art and handicraft from all over India and other participating countries. This was the 31st year of the mela. The theme state was Jharkhand and Egypt was the partner country. Every year, Haryana celebrates this crafts carnival for 15 days at a stretch in the month of February. The entry and the parking can be a hassle on a Sunday (that’s when I chose to be there) but on the other days, it is definitely worth a do. And to save yourself from being caught in the traffic, avail the option of metro else make a point to be there in the early hours. Avoid the weekend visit in all cases.