Jalandhar April 4 (Jaswinder Singh Azad)- The Apeejay College of Fine Arts (ACFA), Jalandhar, organized a unique Craft Mela as part of the 6th Rajeshwari Kala Mahotsav and the Golden Jubilee Celebrations of Rajeshwari Kala Sangam and Apeejay College of Fine Arts.
This vibrant Craft Mela emerged as the highlight of the celebrations, drawing attention with its rich display of India’s diverse artistic heritage.
Mrs. Sushma Paul Berlia (Chairman, Apeejay Education; Chairman, Apeejay Stya and Svran Group; Chancellor, Apeejay Stya University) emphasized that Rajeshwari Kala Sangam was established to promote India’s rich cultural legacy among youth. She shared that Dr. Stya Paul, Founder Chairman, believed deeply that staying rooted in one’s heritage naturally instills strong human values in students.
She added, “This Craft Fair is a living testament to the cultural diversity and artistic brilliance of India.”
The Mela showcased an array of exquisite crafts, including:
* Madhubani art dupattas and sarees from Bihar
* Warli art wall hangings from Maharashtra
* Chamba embroidery items like table covers, handkerchiefs, caps, and dupattas from Himachal Pradesh
* Appliqué work wall hangings from Odisha
* Palm leaf engravings, bedsheets, waistcoats, and bookmarks from Odisha
* Gond art paintings, table mats, and bookmarks from Madhya Pradesh
* Kharad weaving carpets and wall hangings from Gujarat
The Banaras stall featured a luxurious collection of sarees and suits made of Mashru Katan, pure handloom Katan, cotton, Matka cotton, Georgette cotton, Tussar silk, Chanderi, and tissue fabrics.
The Punjab stalls highlighted Phulkaris, Juttis, kurtas, bags, jewellery, rugs, incense sticks, and agarbattis from the Khadi industry, along with wood inlay boxes from Hoshiarpur.
Additionally, the fair included handloom products, sarees, suits, and bed sheets from Gujarat and West Bengal, as well as famous wooden toys from Banaras.
Also, an impressive range of space-saving antique-style furniture—sofas, dressing tables, and chairs—crafted by Interior Design students of ACFA was also on display. Fashion Design students presented block-printed suits, dupattas, kurtas, cushion covers, handmade jewellery, home décor items, and hair accessories, while BFA students exhibited doodle art, mandala art, and POP-based decoration pieces. The range of artificial jewellery also captivated visitors.
Principal Dr. Neerja Dhingra shared that the Craft Mela is open to the public from 10:00 am to 7:00 pm, inviting everyone to enjoy this one-of-a-kind cultural experience.
The 3rd day of Golden Jubilee Celebrations was dedicated to Indian Classical Dance forms. Various competitions were held in which renowned Kathak dancer Guru Subhash Chandra of Lucknow Gharana and famous Kathak dancer Shri Sanjit Gangani of Jaipur Gharana were present as judges.
In this competition, 1st prize was clinched by Jaijeet Kaur from Ludhiana, 2nd prize was bagged by Gargi Natti from Jalandhar, 3rd prize was bagged by Sneha Bisht from Delhi. These students also received cash prize of Rs.10,000, Rs.5000 and 3,000 respectively.
Along with them 4th prize was bagged by Himani and 5th prize was bagged by Pavani Bhalla from Punjab.
Dr. Neha Berlia (Co-owner and Director, Family Business Board – Apeejay Stya and Svran Group; Lead – Education Vertical, Apeejay Education; Pro-Chancellor – Apeejay Stya University) applauded the dedicated efforts of Dr. Sucharita Sharma, Director, Apeejay Education, and Dr. Neerja Dhingra, Principal of ACFA, for organizing such an enriching Craft Fair.