Bihar Diwas: 50 stalls to showcase arts, crafts

PATNA: The Upendra Maharathi Shilp Anusandhan Sansthan will put up at least 50 arts and crafts stalls at the three-day Bihar Diwas celebrations at Gandhi Maidan from March 22.

“Altogether 55 artists will showcase their skills and artworks during the celebrations,” Sansthan deputy director Ashok Kumar Sinha told TOI on Saturday.

Sinha said the stalls would display the state’s indigenous art and craft works such as Tikuli, Sikki and bamboo art. A live demonstration of terracotta art, wood craft and stone craft will also be made.

“If youths so wish after having a look at our Sansthan artist’s works, they can enrol themselves with us for free training in traditional arts and crafts of Bihar,” said another Sansthan official.

Sculptor Lala Pandit, who teaches terracotta art at the Sansthan, said, “Students must take up art as a hobby, and practice it in free time as art helps one develop patience which is getting lost in our stressful life these days.”

Bihar Diwas celebrations are being organized since 2012. Bihar was carved out of undivided Bengal as a separate state in 1912. Prior to that Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand and Orissa were part of Bengal province when the the British ruled over India.