Patna, Jan. 18: The handicraft fair at Sinha Library ground in the state capital has turned out to be a rare meeting point for the visitors and the artisans.

The handicraft artists, who have come from far-away states and various parts of Bihar with their wares, are happy to get the opportunity to sell their products directly to the customers. The visitors are also happy to pick up stuff at relatively cheap prices.

Renu Singh (40), who visited the 10-day fair that began yesterday, said: “The products that are on display here are beautifully designed. They are also not expensive. Besides, such products keep our tradition alive. Our future generation should be aware of the products made by the artists of rural India.”

The fair, organised by Ambpali, Hastakargha Avom Hastshilp Vikas Swavlambi Sahyog Samiti, has 150 stalls, from where one can pick Madhubani paintings, patch-work bed sheets, table cloths with katha sujni embroidery, tikuli art, lac bangles, jewellery and jute bags and food items like papad, pickles, honey and sattu mixture. Artisans from Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Bengal and various parts of Bihar are taking part in the fair. The price ranges are exciting to attract the consumers. While a piece of jewellery costs anything between Rs 20 and Rs 2,000, one has to pay about Rs 600 to Rs 900 to buy a kurta with Madhubani painting. Then there are saris in the price range of Rs 3,000 and Rs 11,000 and shawls between Rs 225 and Rs 1,500.

Vankar Harji Aatubhai, who has come from Gujarat with handmade stoles and shawls, said: “The event has given us a platform to sell our products directly to the customers. We do not have to fall prey to middlemen.”