The 16-day-long Asomi Saras Mela, which started on November 30, is currently being held at the Veterinary College grounds in Khanapara, Guwahati, and will continue until December 15. The fair is open to visitors from 10:00 am to 9:00 pm.
Hosted by the Assam State Rural Livelihoods Mission (ASRLM) under the Panchayat & Rural Development Department of the Government of Assam, the mela provides a platform for Self Help Groups (SHGs) and micro-entrepreneurs from Assam and across India to showcase and sell their handmade products.
Nibedan Das Patowary, State Mission Director of ASRLM, told media, “In this fair, we have 226 stalls, out of which 90 are from outside of Assam, and the rest are from Self Help Groups and members from different parts of the state.”
He further added, “As part of this, we have been organizing Saras Mela every year at the district and state levels. The Saras Mela in Guwahati commenced on November 30 and will continue until December 15. We have 226 stalls, and 90 of them are from outside Assam, with the remaining stalls representing SHGs from various regions of the state.”
Patowary emphasized that the fair is aimed at providing a platform for Self Help Groups and micro-entrepreneurs to sell and showcase their products. “Every year, the response is overwhelming. Lots of people visited Saras Mela, and we expect more visitors this year,” he said.
Kalpana Taye, an entrepreneur from Dhemaji district of Assam, shared her experience: “We come here to showcase and sell our handmade products, and we are getting good responses from the visitors.” She added, “The government has taken a good initiative by organizing Saras Mela. Yesterday, we sold products worth over Rs 1.80 lakh.”
Chitra Basumatary, another entrepreneur, mentioned her participation last year: “I come here to showcase my handmade dry flowers and wooden products.”
A member of the Suman Self-Help Group praised the uniqueness of the Asomi Saras Mela, saying that people from various parts of India have participated. Deepak Verma, an entrepreneur from Jharkhand, expressed, “I have been participating in this mela for the last five years and getting good responses while showcasing our traditional products.”
The mela features a variety of rural products from Assam and other states of India, promoting local craftsmanship and fostering economic opportunities for rural entrepreneurs.