The 5th National Sale of Articles and Rural Artisan Society (SARAS) Mela-2019, jointly organised by the State Kudumbashree Mission and the Local Self Government Department (LSGD), will begin at the Government Engineering College ground at Anthoor on Friday.
Kannur is hosting the mela for the first time. The event is the largest rural exhibition in the country offering ethnic food and artistry by small and medium enterprises.
Rural artisans, craftsmen, and self help groups (SHGs) from 15 States, including Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Haryana, Jharkhand, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand, Gujarat, Mizoram, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Goa, Telangana, Kashmir, and Kerala, are attending the two-week-long mela.
James Mathew, MLA, who is also the chairman of the organising committee, said the participants would sell products directly to customers.
Minister for Local Self Governments A.C. Moideen will inaugurate the mela on Friday, Mr. Mathew said, adding that around 250 stalls had been set up in the one lakh square feet area.
More than 5 lakh people are expected to visit the mela, while the organisers look forward to garnering a revenue of around ₹8 lakh, he said.
