The 14th National Handloom Expo kicked off on Wednesday a platform for young designers to showcase their talents. The event was inaugurated by the Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. In the inaugural ceremony, about 18 weavers were awarded for showing excellence in designing several handloom items.

Speaking on the occasion CM Patnaik said that, Odisha’s tradition in Handloom Weaving is centuries old. Each district of Odisha has its unique weaving style and special craftsmanship. The artistic tradition of tie and dye is spread from Bargarh and Sonepur in the North to Nuapatna and Cuttack in the East. The natural dyed fabric of Koraput, Habaspuri of Kalahandi, the Mayurbhanj Sarees, Dhotis and Scarves of Khurda, the ornate Tie and Dye of Boudh, Tasar of Gopalpur, Fakirpur and Sonepur – all these unique textile designs form a rich spectrum of colours, designs and artistic expressions.

This time weavers from 16 States, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab, Odisha, Jammu and Kashmir, Maharashtra and Pondicherry, are participating in the expo.

Over 100 stalls displaying a wide range of handloom materials are put up at the event. Also, a pavilion on the theme of upcoming Nabakalebara at Puri has been created this year. Various cultural programmes and food joints have been set up for the visitors.

Out of the stalls, 28 have been allotted to Odisha’s participants, said Handloom and Textile Director Debendra Prasad Das. The State Government has set a target of Rs.7 crore of sales to take place in the 14th National Handloom Expo- 2015.

The Government of Odisha is implementing a number of welfare measures for upliftment of artisans in handloom sector. Provision of housing-cum-work shed, insurance coverge for artisans, supply of solar lanterns and utility items, development of cluster under Chief Minister’s Special Package are some of the promotional measures taken up by the State Government for economic upliftment of artisans in the State.

The expo is organised by the Textile and Handloom Department of Odisha and will continue till March 1 at the Exhibition Ground in Bhubaneswar.