Visitors check out items at craft bazaar in zilla parishad grounds, Dhanbad, on Wednesday. (Gautam Dey)

Dhanbad’s zilla parishad grounds, hosting the 10-day Craft Bazaar, has already done business worth over Rs 25 lakh in the first five days.

Hosted by NGO Samaj Vikas Sangathan, the fair kicked off on December 9 and is housing more than 150 kiosks selling decorative knick-knacks made of wood, bamboo, straw and even velvet.

Artisans from across India — including Ludhiana (Punjab), Saharanpur, Moradabad, Mau (Uttar Pradesh), Chandigarh, Delhi, Gujarat, Jammu & Kashmir, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Bengal, Bihar and Odisha — have trooped to the fair to sell their products.

And they are indeed finding hearty appreciation from buyers reaching out for their wallets.

“The fair has minted over Rs 25 lakh so far. You can imagine the kind of overwhelming buyer response,” said fair convener Sanjay Kumar.

Handicraft fairs are held from October to March every year, courtesy development commissioner of handicrafts, ministry of textiles, Government of India. Similar events have been hosted in Bokaro and Deoghar in Jharkhand and Sonepur and Bhagalpur (Bihar).

“My items made of wood are a hit with housewives and college girls,” said Randhir Kumar Yadav, an artisan from Patna. Lanterns (Rs 250), incense stick stands (Rs 80) and kitchen kits (Rs 20-50) are flying off fast from the racks of Kumar’s stall No. 37. “I have earned Rs 15,000 in five days,” he added.

Velvet paintings, with a touch of radium, are also among the top picks. At stall No. 75 of Rajasthan’s Dilip Singh Kothari, these items are selling for Rs 300 to Rs 900.

“Goods worth over a whopping Rs 25,000 have been sold,” said Kothari, a veteran artisan who also trains youngsters.

Uttam Kumar Mallick, an artisan from the Vaishali district of Bihar, said his bamboo items are selling like hot cakes. Pen stands (Rs 50), trays (Rs 120) and replicas of Titatnic (Rs 500) are available at his stall No. 105.

Items woven from straw, priced between Rs 120 and Rs 500, are also fast movers, as are artificial jewellery, furniture and dry flowers.

“I am amazed as the quality of products on offer,” said homemaker Anju Singh.