They have come all the way from Bengal’s Santiniketan hoping to sell their wares at the five-day Diwali Mela here. Three days on, response is dismal.

The two artisans from the Bengal town are, however, hopeful that they would find buyers on Sunday, the penultimate day of the mela being held at Morabadi grounds.

“While nothing happened on the inaugural day on Thursday, I didn’t get any encouraging response even on Friday and Saturday,” said Raju Samaddar of Kabiguru Handicrafts of Santiniketan, who brought his glass paintings at the mela organised by Jharkhand’s IAS Officers’ Wives’ Association.

“I normally do etching work on slates (soft stones) and glass,” he said, adding that his creations were reasonably priced.

The glass paintings that he has brought to sell here are mainly of three sizes - 7x10 inches, 12x18inches and 2x1feet - priced between Rs 250 and Rs 4,000. Glass etching comprises the techniques of creating art on the surface of glass by applying acidic, caustic, or abrasive substances.

“Till now, I didn’t even get curious onlookers. I can only hope that people would come to my stall on Sunday and buy the paintings,” Samaddar said.

Byasdeb Laha was also keeping his fingers crossed. Though he managed to sell some of his bamboo ornaments in the last three days, he was banking on Sunday.

“In the first two days, I sold these ornaments worth less than Rs 2,000,” Laha said, adding that the response wasn’t encouraging at all.

“Believe me, these bamboo ornaments get a huge response in Santiniketan, especially during the five-day Poush Mela,” he said, pointing towards bamboo-made chains, bangles and earrings. “During the mela, I sell ornaments worth over Rs 40,000 which roughly translates to Rs 8,000 per day,” Laha said when asked about his expectations.

Poush Mela is a colourful rural carnival held at Santiniketan Mela grounds every winter. “If I can get such a response at home, there’s no use going to another place where I have to spend money for journey and food,” he said, adding free accommodation offered by the organisers was, however, a relief.

“Let’s hope for the best,” Laha said when told there would be more visitors on Sunday who might show interest in his ornaments.