KOZHIKODE: The Sargaalaya Iringal International Crafts Festival (SIICF) hosted by the Saegaalaya Kerala Arts and Crafts Village, Iringal, an initiative of the Tourism Department will start on December 20 and go on to January 5. The international crafts festival is supported by the Grand Kerala Shopping Festival season 9. The Mega Season Crafts Expo will display handcrafting skills of artisans including national award winners along with the items handcrafted by them. It also offers Seminars on Tourism and Handicrafts, variety cultural programmes including Kashmiri Rauf Dance, Garba Dance, Bihu Dance and Mayoor Dance.
Governor Justice P Sathasivam will inaugurate the festival on December 22 and AP Anilkumar, Minister for Welfare of Scheduled Castes & Backward Classes and Tourism will preside over the function. The South Zone Cultural Centre under the Central Ministry of Culture will host the Kerala Food Festival, Amusement Rides, Boating as an add-on to the festival. “As many as 10 artisans from Thailand will put up stalls in the fair. Besides, 180 stalls from across the country have already registered. This time, the focus is on the diversity of crafts and ensuring participation of award winning artisans,” said the crafts village CEO P.P Bhaskaran. Started in 2011, Sargaalaya Crafts Expo is now considered as one of the best handicrafts exhibitions in the country and this unique programme features over 200 selected artisans from 22 states in addition to the highly skilled 90 permanent participants belonging to Sargaalaya, he added.
