Odisha’s mega handloom and handicrafts fair ‘Sisir Saras’ starts

Bhubaneswar, Jan 10 (PTI) Odisha’s most-awaited handloom and handicrafts fair 'Sisir Saras–2026' started on Saturday and will continue for nine days till January 18, officials said.

Minister for fisheries, animal resources development and MSME Gokulananda Mallik inaugurated the fair at the IDCO exhibition ground.

It is being organised by the Odisha Rural Development and Marketing Society (ORMAS) under the Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water Department.

Addressing the gathering, Mallik described the fair as a critical catalyst for rural self-sufficiency.

He said, "The fair is much more than just a marketplace, it is a profound reflection of empowerment at the grassroots level, intended to bridge the gap between rural producers and urban consumers." The fair provides direct market access to rural people and ensures that women-led self-help groups (SHGs) and traditional artisans achieve the economic independence they deserve based on their specialised skills, he added.

Mayor Sulochana Das highlighted and praised ORMAS' efforts to preserve the state's rich cultural legacy.

She emphasised how the fair revitalises traditional craftsmanship by bringing local products to a national audience, resulting in long-term job opportunities.

The fair has brought together producers and artisans from Odisha and 20 other states. It offers a wide variety of products with 340 stalls on display, and numerous food counters that add to the vibrant visitor experience.

The fair showcases a variety of indigenous and GI-tagged goods, such as handlooms from Sambalpur and Subarnapur, Kalajeera rice from Koraput, and millet products from Sundargarh, all of which reflect the idea of "vocal for local." PTI AAM AAM MNB