Arunachal Pradesh Handloom & Handicrafts Development Society (APHHDS) has organised a Gandhi Bunker Mela, a national handloom expo in collaboration with the Department of Textile & Handicrafts, Government of Arunachal Pradesh, and sponsored by the Development Commissioner (Handlooms), Ministry of Textiles, Government of India.
The expo is opened for visitors from December 16 to December 29 between 11am and 9pm at Arunachal Bhawan in Salt Lake’s CE Block. The expo features 81 stalls with handicrafts from across India including Arunachal Pradesh and other parts of Northeast.
The exhibition features wide range of products from other parts of India as well which includes sarees from West Bengal, Assam, Jharkhand and Sikkim or pashmina shawls and overcoats from Kashmir, leather bags from Mumbai or‘chikankari’ products from Lucknow. The expo is a riot of colours, patterns and textures, with the flavour quotient coming from locals supplying ‘koraishuttir kochuri’,‘keema ghugni’, ‘patishapta’ and other delicacies.
The formal opening ceremony of the Gandhi Bunkar Mela was held at 3pm on 16 December, 2023 in the presence of the Additional Resident Commissioner, Govt. Of Arunachal Pradesh in Kolkata, Shri Kajal Karmakar APCS, the former Dy. Resident Commissioner, Govt of Arunachal Pradesh, Shri Subhasish Nath and guests from the Weavers Service Centre Kolkata, represented by the Development Commissioner (Handlooms). It was also attended by Dr. Leki Wangchuk, the HonorableChairman, Arunachal Pradesh Food Commission. The students of Arunachal in Kolkata presented amazing dance and song performances in their traditional style. Stall holders are ensured with a hope that expo will turn out to be great success.