Vizianagaram Mayor Vempadapu Vijayalakshmi on Saturday said that society should give its support to artisans to protect their skills and livelihood. She inaugurated Sri Kalabharathi Chentha Hastakala Exhibition in Lions Club’s Community Hall located near Vizianagaram Fort. Speaking on the occasion, she said that customers would also get benefits with the purchase of handlooms and handicrafts in the exhibition as the artisans were selling products directly instead of depending on middlemen and others.
‘Over 50 stalls’
Kalabharathi Exhibition organiser Muddada Durga Prasad said that over 50 stalls were established in the exhibition which would continue during Deepavali and Christmas season. According to him, saris of Pochampally, Gadwal, Venkatagiri, Mangalagiri, Uppada, Kanchi and others are being sold in the exhibition. Handicrafts of Kondapalli, Etikoppakal, Warangal leathers, pears of Hyderabad, Machilipatnam one gram jewellery, Pembarthi brass items and herbal products are also displayed in the exhibition. He hoped that the artisans would do a decent business in current festival season although they incurred losses in the last two years due to COVID-19 and restrictions.