Patna Haat is no longer a dream.

The city got its own Patna Haat on the lines of Dilli Haat, where craftsmen can display and sell their products. Chief minister Nitish Kumar inaugurated the haat at city's Upendra Maharathi Shilp Anusandhan Sansthan on Wednesday. The industries department has spent around Rs 2.54 crore on developing the facility.

Consisting of 25 shops, the Patna Haat might look smaller than the Dilli Haat but the craftsmen, who took part in the inaugural ceremony of Patna Haat were happy with the new facility. Most of them told The Telegraph that even Dilli Haat was not the same as it is today and with time Patna Haat would achieve a similar stature like its counterpart in the national capital.

Nitish said starting Patna Haat was one of the priorities of the state government. "The government always wanted to create a place wherein state-based craftsmen can display their products and can create a market for themselves. The venue - Upendra Maharati Shilp Anusandhan Sansthan - for Patna Haat has been selected after much thinking," he said.

He added that craftsmen would be allotted space at the haat one by one for a month and it would be on a rotational basis. "Bihar has no dearth of good craftsmen. Hope the facility would be a boon for them," said Nitish.

Craftsmen taking up a stall have to pay Rs 50 per day as rent.

Renu Devi (38), a Sikki artist from Madhubani, was elated to find a space for her products to be sold. Being one of the first occupants of a shop at Patna Haat, she was more than elated.

"I live in Madhepur village in Madhepura where my husband runs a grocery store. Most of the time I have to travel outside the state to sell my Sikki products. I visit Delhi, Bangalore, Bhopal and other places to take part in exhibitions to sale my products. I have a good market outside the state. However, last month I realised I have a good scope in Patna as well. Last month, I took part in a 15-day exhibition in Patna and sold products worth Rs 35,000. Now, that we have Patna Haat, I don't have to run here and there to sell my products," said Renu, who is into this trade for the past 19 years.

Madhubani is known for Madhubani paintings but Sikki art is also a part of most of the families. A majority of women sell Sikki art products as a part of their livelihood. Sikki art involves weaving of the Sikki, a form of grass, into attractive home decor products.

Ruma Verma, who was found selling saris and salwar suit pieces with appliqué and embroidery work said Patna Haat was very small compared to Dilli Haat, where she visited several times. "The state government should start food stalls and organise cultural programmes at the haat to popularise it because people don't come to such destinations only for shopping. They come to chill and buy stuff only when they find the products good," said Verma.

Usha Jha, another Patna-based entrepreneur who came with Sindhi embroidery dresses, said women entrepreneurs had been long demanding a permanent place under the banner of Bihar Mahila Udyog Sangh. She hailed the state government for creating the facility.

Noted Tikuli artist Ashok Kumar Biswas, who has a national-level award on Tikuli art under his belt, was among the first occupants of an outlet at Patna Haat.