Sargaalaya Arts and Crafts Festival to begin on Dec. 20

The 12th edition of the Sargaalaya International Arts and Crafts Festival will begin at Sargaalaya Arts and Crafts Village at Iringal near Vadakara on Friday (December 20).

A key attraction of this year’s festival is a floating stage, built on barges arranged on the pond at the centre of the village. The stage, which measures 18 meters in length and 11 meters in width, has been constructed using 16 barges provided by the Uralungal Labour Contractors’ Cooperative Society. Weighing 150 tonnes, the structure can accommodate up to 100 people. “This is the first time a stage is being built on barges,” said P.P. Bhaskaran, chief executive officer of Sargaalaya.

The festival’s Craft Zone will feature stalls from 15 countries in addition to exhibits from various parts of India. Ten stalls will exclusively showcase Geographical Indication (GI) tagged products, along with several others supported by NABARD.

This year, the festival will feature eight theme villages, including Theyyam, Kalaripayattu, Bamboo, Woodcraft, Arabic Calligraphy, and Handloom, arranged along the route from the gate to the main building. Additionally, the food festival has been expanded with 20 kiosks offering traditional Kerala cuisine set up across the village.

The Entertainment Zone has been set up near the riverbank auditorium, where a tunnel aquarium has been arranged. Visitors will also have access to all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) for ease of movement within the premises. A book festival focused on art, culture, travel, and tourism, as well as live caricature sessions by artists from the Kerala Cartoon Academy, will add to the attractions.

Tourism Minister P.A. Muhammed Riyas will officially inaugurate the festival at 6 p.m. on Sunday (December 22). “The organisers have undertaken extensive promotional campaigns in northern Kerala districts to boost attendance, expecting a higher footfall this year as road access has improved following National Highway works,” Mr. Bhaskaran said.

Published - December 17, 2024 08:54 pm IST