Meira Kumar throws open Surajkund Mela to public

New Delhi, Feb 2 (PTI) Speaker Mrs Meira Kumar of Lok Sabha, lower house of India's Parliament, inaugurated Wednesday the annual Arts & Crafts Fair at Surajkund on the outskirts of Delhi. "It is the beginning of the spring and a time to enjoy," said Kumar, who smilingly donned a traditional Assamese hat and posed for shutterbugs as she moved around the fair checking out the different stalls. Kumar showed a keen interest in what Assam had on offer. The northeast Indian state is the partner state of the fair in this year's edition. The fair, now in its 26th edition, is on till February 15. Besides Indian states there is also substantial foreign participation. SAARC countries, Thailand, Congo, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan are among these participants. The inaugural day saw performances from artists belonging to Assam, Congo and Uzbekistan. "I was very happy. That was a power-packed performance; so much vibrant," Kumar said, lauding the performance of the dancers from Congo Republic. The Speaker visited the majority of the foreign stalls, including those of of Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Thailand. She also praised the designers of the festival for its rural ambience and natural environment. Promoting the concept of 'mini-India', the fair showcases the rural lifestyle with huts acting as stalls and rural roads giving a village ambience, apart from traditional dance performances. India's Tourism Minister Subodh Kant Sahay said the Surajkund Crafts Mela "has developed into an international crafts bazaar and is attracting more and more tourists". "About 10 lakh (one million) people are expected to visit the Mela this year. The site of Surajkund is a historical place, where Raja Suraj Pal of Tomar dynasty had established Surajkund, whose shape is like rising sun, which is the symbol of progress," Chief Minister Bhupinder Hooda of the host state Haryana said. The fair is being renamed from next year as 'International Surajkund Mela', taking into account the large scale of international participation in it. PTI