Surajkund Crafts Mela

Introduction

The Surajkund Crafts Mela is organized annually by the Haryana Tourism Department in the month of February. This delightful handloom and handicrafts fair is planned every year to promote the traditional Indian Handicrafts in rural ambience at Surajkund in the vicinity of New Delhi. The fair was first time organized in 1981 and since then the fair continues to be a strong platform for Indian artists and craftsmen to display their skilled crafts and art work.

At this annual week long fair skilled artists from all over the country display the rich crafts tradition of India in the typical rural setting and bring alive the age-old living crafts tradition. Surajkund crafts mela offers to its visitors the exquisite and skilful paintings, textiles, wood stock, ivory work, pottery, terracotta, stonework, lac work and cane and grass work. Visitors can shop here for some of the world's most treasured wares.

The fair is not only limited to exhibitions of artwork but also presents the visual delight to its visitors in the form of special Natyashala folk dances and musical evenings at the open-air theatre.

These programs are also accompanied by lip smacking and delicious rural cuisine, adding colors to this popular crafts fair.

Every year, the Surajkund Crafts Mela is planned by selecting a particular Indian state as a theme and entire ambience for the fair is designed accordingly. Many states have showcased its finest handlooms, handicrafts and mouth-watering cuisines in past fairs.

Theme states for last 5 Surajkund Crafts Mela were Madhya Pradesh (2009), West Bengal (2008), Andhra Pradesh (2007), Maharashtra (2006) and Chattisgarh (2005).

How to reach

Surajkund, the site of popular Surajkund Mela is located at a distance of 8 km from South Delhi in Faridabad. The resort is easily accessible by road. Haryana Tourist Bureau organizes special tours from 36, Janpath, New Delhi.

Airways:

The nearest airport is at Delhi. The site of the fair is just 25 km from Palam Airport and also just a 35 minute drive from the Indira Gandhi International Airport.

Roadways:

Surajkund is about 8km (5 miles) south of Delhi and is well connected to Delhi, Gurgaon and Faridabad towns by road. Buses are available for the fair site from ISBT and Serai Kale Khan, Haryana Emporium; Baba Kharak Singh Marg.One can also hire Tourist cabs/ tourist coaches from Delhi.

Railways:

Delhi is the nearest railway station. One can even reach Faridabad or Gurgaon by train and can hire a cab for traveling to Surajkund the rural ambience of SurajKund Crafts Mela.

Surajkund Crafts Mela 2010

The date for the popular Surajkund Crafts Mela remains fix every year. The fair is organized by the Haryana Tourism Dept. annually in the month of February. In 2010, the Surajkund Crafts Mela is from 1st to 15th Feb, 2010. The colorful state of Rajasthan is chosen as a theme for the Surajkund Crafts Mela 2010, which was also the theme for the fair in the year 1989.