The last month of this year has lots of excitement in store for those who love to visit fairs and festivals. The Telegraph brings for you a list of major fairs and festivals that you can visit all through the month

RUSH, IT’S ON

Konark Dance Festival and the International Sand Art Festival are on at the Sun Temple and Chandrabhaga beach, respectively. Culture aficionados and lovers of classical art forms — both from India and abroad — are turning up in large numbers to make the most of the mega events. Sand artists from several parts of the country and abroad are displaying their creativity at the sand art festival

Nearer home, ‘The Interior Show’, which one of the largest exhibitions of home décor, has begun on Wednesday at the Exhibition Ground. The same venue is also hosting the Rajdhani Book Fair. Bibliophiles can rush to grab their favourite tomes. A state-level fair selling khadi handloom and rural products is on at the same venue.

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The annual National Toshali Crafts Mela will commence at Janata Maidan on December 15. The two-week fair will see about 200-odd artisans from as many as 22 states exhibiting their products. The state government is hoping the footfall to be around five lakh and the business to go up as high as eight crores.

The fourth edition of Odissi International hosted by Samskritiki will begin on December 18 at the Bhanja Kala Mandap. Odissi artistes from all over the globe will perform at the event. Though the dates have not been officially announced yet, the Dhauli-Kalinga Mahotsav and International Odissi dance festival also take place this month. The SC/ ST department sponsored state-level tribal dance festival will also be held in the second half of the month.

 

Last year we were spoilt for choice with Banarasi saris from UP, Punjabi jootis, chikan from Lucknow, Gujarati dandiya jewellery, fancy home décor and much more on sale. Hope that this edition of National Toshali Crafts Mela would be as big and alluring

Sujata Dash, homemaker