CHANDIGARH, Sept 10 (IANS) - Northeast India will be the theme of the second Chandigarh National Crafts Mela (fair) to be held at the Kalagram complex here from Oct 26 to Nov 4.
The fair is being organised by the Chandigarh administration and North Zone Cultural Centre (NZCC) of the Union Culture Ministry.
The NZCC will create a new village which will have the features of the eight northeastern states of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura.
Bamboo and cane art and products and special Naga huts with flora and fauna of east India will be some additional attractions for the visitors.
Designed on the pattern of famous Surajkund crafts fair held in Haryana near New Delhi, the Chandigarh crafts fair is expecting a footfall of about one million (10 lakh) domestic and international tourists this year, Chandigarh's Tourism Secretary Ram Niwas said Friday.
Over 200 artisans, national and state awardees in their respective fields, and over 300 folk dancers from across the country will participate in the fair.
"Vibrant stalls, dance performances by folk artistes, mouth-watering cuisines, melodies streaming from musical instruments and breathtaking artifacts from all parts of the country will be the highlights of the crafts mela," Ram Niwas said.
Besides crafts and dances of the northastern states, the fair this year will have a special feature - the 'Street Food Festival of India'. Stalls of popular dishes from Chandini Chowk (Delhi), Punjab, Lucknow, Chinese food (from Sikkim), Kashmir, Rajasthan, Haryana, Mumbai food and south Indian states will be put up at the fair.
For the first crafts fair held here last year, Jammu and Kashmir was the theme state.
