New Delhi: Mehjabeen Bano, a differently-abled artisan from Delhi, has been able to buy a new house, thanks to Hunar Haat, a platform to showcase the skills, cuisine and culture of the craftsmen. Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised her paintings during a visit to Hunar Hat at India Gate in 2020, and he had a brief interaction with her.
Setting up a stall in an ongoing Hunar Haat in Chandigarh, Mehjabeen Bano, said, “I have participated in Hunar Haats several times. Hunar Haat has fulfilled the dreams of needy people like me. I have purchased a house with the earnings from Hunar Haats.” Similarly, another Delhi resident, Meenu Jain, sells “Delhi Ki Chaat” in Hunar Haats. She is able to send her son to London to pursue further education. She has also set up her stall in the ongoing Hunar Haat, Chandigarh. While thanking Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Minister for Minority Affairs, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, she said, “I have sent my son to London for higher studies after earning from the Hunar Haats. Hunar Haat has brought significant changes in the lives of artisans like me. Thanks to this initiative of the Modi government and Shri Naqvi, we are financially independent now.”
This program has brought changes in the lives of several people bringing out their talents in terms of craftsmanship spirit and giving a “perfect and powerful platform for preservation, protection & promotion” of the ancestral and traditional legacy of several minorities, including backward and Pasmanda Muslims. Hunar Haat has also benefitted the circus performance with a better livelihood. Sufi music, Ghazal, and a live performance of “Mahabharata” are among the key attractions of Hunar Haat.
Speaking of this occasion, the Union Minister for Minority Affairs and Deputy Leader, Rajya Sabha, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said, “Within a short span of 6 years, more than 9 lakh artisans and craftsmen have been provided employment and employment opportunities through 39 Hunar Haats. The record 40th edition of Hunar Haat will be magnificently organised in Mumbai from 15th April.”
The Hunar Haat has also aspired more than 50% of women artisans. Till now, a total of 39 Hunar Haats are organised statewide, including New Delhi, Puducherry, Mumbai, Prayagraj, Jaipur, Ahmedabad, Lucknow, Hyderabad, Indore, Ranchi, Rampur, Mysuru, Bhopal, Panaji, Dehradun, Vrindavan, Surat, Guwahati and Chandigarh. The 39th Hunar Haat is now taking place in Chandigarh and will run until April 3rd. Due to the growing popularity amongst the people, Hunar Haat has also been expected to be organised at Braj Raj Utsav” in Vrindavan, which was inaugurated by UP CM Yogi Aditynath.
More than 50 people are involved with a single artisan and craftsman in the creation, delivery, sale, and display of their handmade items demonstrating the success of Hunar Haat. This program has encouraged entrepreneurship among artisans and craftspeople, particularly, women, who are now managing their own self-help organisations. Many craftsmen and artisans are now getting online orders from government departments and the private sector, owing to Hunar Haat’s digital version and the Commerce Ministry’s GeM (Government E-Marketplace) platform.
Several sections of Muslim communities such as Mochi, Rangrej, Bunkar, Kumhaar, Sunar, Badhai, Halwayi, Manihar, Ansari, Momin, Qureshi, Salmani, Sapera, Kagzi, Mirasi, Attaar, kalandar, Daffali, Jogi, Mali, Darji, Nut, Bhurji, Bhatiyara, Dhuniya, Lohar, Hajjam, Madari, Rajmistri and so forth are also included into the mainstream economy through this program.
Key dignitaries, Vice-President of India M Venkaiah Naidu; Prime Minister Narendra Modi; Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla; Minister of Defence Rajnath Singh; Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari; Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath; Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma; Union Minister of Education and Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Dharmendra Pradhan; Union Minister for Environment and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav; Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Mansukh Mandaviya; Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chauhan; Goa CM Dr Pramod Sawant; Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami; Union Minister for Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal; Union Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani and many more paid a visit and supported the local artisans and craftsmen. In the coming days, Hunar Haats will be organised in Noida, Pune, Ahmedabad, Bhopal, Patna, Mumbai, Jammu, Chennai, Agra, Prayagraj, Goa, Jaipur, Bengaluru, Kota, Sikkim, Srinagar, Leh, Shillong, Ranchi, Agartala, and other cities.