Patna: Rural women entrepreneurs from Bihar and 14 other states will showcase their handicrafts, handlooms, folk art and traditional food at the Bihar Saras Mela, which will open at Gyan Bhawan on Sunday. The fair will remain open from 10am to 8pm every day, with free entry for visitors.The 10-day fair, organised by Jeevika, will continue till Sept 29. Around 135 stalls will be set up at the venue, with women associated with self-help groups from Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Manipur, Odisha, Punjab, Rajasthan, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Goa, Uttarakhand and Jammu & Kashmir participating in the event.The fair will showcase a range of products made by rural entrepreneurs, including handicrafts, handloom products, carpets and rugs, mulberry and silk items, khadi clothes, Madhubani paintings, lac bangles, shell jewellery, bamboo and wooden home decor, and products made from banana stems.The food zone will have stalls run by women associated with Jeevika’s ‘Didi Ki Rasoi’. Visitors will be able to buy traditional food items as well as pickles, papad, sattu, bari, danauri, dry fruits and other locally prepared delicacies.Women entrepreneurs from all 38 districts of Bihar will participate in the fair, showcasing handicrafts, folk art, traditional products and local dishes from their respective regions. Stalls operated by the Mahananda Tea Producer Company, Jeevika Shilpgram, Jeevika Madhugram and Janki Mahila Silai evam Prashikshan Kendra will also feature products made by rural women.Stalls of various govt departments and institutions will showcase development initiatives in the state, along with products made by beneficiaries. Products prepared by beneficiaries of Jeevika’s Sustainable Livelihoods Initiative and the Mukhyamantri Mahila Rojgar Yojana will also be available for sale.This year’s Gyan Bhawan will introduce a buyer-seller interaction aimed at expanding the fair beyond a conventional exhibition. Potential and institutional buyers will interact directly with women entrepreneurs on issues such as product quality, packaging, quantity, supply capacity and market demand. The initiative is intended to create business opportunities and connect rural products with larger markets.The fair will also provide cashless payment facilities at all stalls, along with customer service centres operated by Jeevika members for cash deposits and withdrawals. Help centres will be set up at the venue for visitors and stall holders.
