Maha Mela, a 15-day festival of Maharashtra at Delhi Haat was inaugurated in the presence of Valsa Nair Singh, principal secretary of tourism and culture, Government of Maharashtra. The event will be a celebration of the various aspects of Marathi culture and will be open for visitors from January 17-31, 2016. Ajay Ambekar, director of cultural affairs, Government of Maharashtra was also present for the inauguration along with art director Nitin Desai.
Maha Mela 2016 is the first large scale event being organised by the Government of Maharashtra and brings together handicrafts, culture, cuisine and local art under one roof. It has been organised by the cultural department of the state government in conjunction with Maharashtra Small Scale Industries Development Corporation (MSIDC), Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC), Maharashtra Film, Stage & Cultural Development Corporation and other departments.
The focus of Maha Mela 2016 is to showcase traditional Maharashtrian art and culture along with elaborate handicraft exhibitions and sales. It also aims at creating awareness for tourism in Maharashtra and highlighting the experiences and offerings for tourists. The state government has organised this event to also provide small entrepreneurs, artisans and craftsmen a platform to showcase their work.
Maha Mela 2016 will include workshops teaching traditional Warli paintings, rangolis, tribal mask painting, mud art, Nauvari saree draping and Lavani dance. Visitors can also enjoy a variety of experiences representing the culture of Maharashtra. The event will have a special showcase where documents of historical and noteworthy social events will be available for visitors to view. Guests can also buy select Hindi and English books by the Government of Maharashtra which showcase the state’s history and legacy.
Speaking on the occasion, Valsa Nair Singh said, “I am delighted to inaugurate Maha Mela 2016 at Delhi Haat. Delhi has always been a key state to drive tourist traffic to Maharashtra. This festival will not only acquaint Delhiites with Maharashtra’s rich legacy, but will also help them understand more about the art and culture of the state, thus giving them a real flavour of what awaits them when they visit Maharashtra.”
