10-day Saras Mela to begin from today

Patna: The city is set to witness a vibrant showcase of art, crafts, culture, and cuisine from various states over ten days, with the ‘Bihar Saras Mela’ kicking off at Gyan Bhawan near Gandhi Maidan on Friday. The fair, organised by Jeevika, will be officially inaugurated by the state rural development minister Shrawan Kumar on the first day at 6pm.Promoting rural entrepreneurship, the first edition of this financial year’s Bihar Saras Mela will feature women entrepreneurs from self-help groups from 22 states, including Bihar, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Assam, Maharashtra and Odisha. They will showcase an array of handicrafts, handlooms, art and culture, décor, apparel, accessories and edible products like ‘baris’, ‘papads’, ‘sattu’, and ‘besan’.A total of 130 stalls, including 10 food stalls, will highlight rural craftsmanship, traditional art and culinary specialities like dishes from Jeevika didi’s kitchen, Shilpgram’s handicrafts, Madhugram’s honey and products from the sustainable livelihood scheme.Pawan Kumar Priyadarshi, state project manager (communication) of Jeevika, said the fair offers cashless shopping facilities at all stalls, supported by a customer service centre managed by Jeevika didis for easy deposits and withdrawals.“The self-help groups from different states will display their special and handmade products. The Bihar Saras Mela promises to be a vibrant celebration of rural talent and culture, drawing crowds to one platform,” he said.Visitors can also enjoy selfie zones put up in different areas on the campus. Additionally, there are help desks and health desks for the added convenience of the customers. The fair, which will be open until September 21, 2025, from 10am to 8pm daily, offers free entry to all visitors.Key attendees on the inaugural day include rural development department secretary Lokesh Kumar Singh, chief executive officer of Jeevika Himanshu Sharma and additional CEO of Jeevika-cum-commissioner of MNREGA Abhilasha Sharma.