Customers check out products at Cotton Fab in Bhubaneswar on Monday. Picture by Ashwinee Pati

Bhubaneswar, Sept. 22: The Cotton Fab exhibition, which was supposed to conclude today, has been extended till September 24.

The decision to extend the month-long fair has been taken since the erratic rain hit the business of the artisans.

Sonu, a salesman of Kolkata Saris from Calcutta, said: “We have brought a wide range of silk and cotton saris. The rain has ruined our business. Moreover, the few customers, who visit the exhibition, don’t seem interested to buy more clothes.”

His sentiments are echoed by Miraj of Sultanji Embroidery, Delhi.

“The extension will not bring any big change in the business, but it will certainly help us sell a few more items.”

The Awadh Hathkargha Hastshilp Evam Gramodyog Samiti, Lucknow, has been organising the exhibition for six years now.

The organisers could easily sense the disappointment among the artisans.

“We thought that with various festivals round the corner, people would make a beeline to the fair to buy clothes, jewellery and other accessories, but business has been badly hit due to the rain. We have extended the festival by two more days so that the artisans can recover some of their losses,” said Javed Khan, an official.

However, some of the artisans appear to have created a loyal customer base. They seem very pleased with their sales.

Two of them are Sriram from Haridwar who is selling jute handbags and Haji Md Yamin from Aligarh whose expertise in crafting glass bangles floored even Michelle Obama who collected a dozen of his designs during her 2010 visit to India.

“My items are extremely pocket-friendly. The price ranges from Rs. 150 to Rs. 400. People in Bhubaneswar love my bags. My sale has been as satisfying as it was last year,” said Sriram.

The 67-year-old artisan, Yamin, who belongs to a family that has been making bangles for four generations now, said: “My bangles are unique and that is why they are such a hit with the buyers.”