Terracotta festival opens in Madhubani

MADHUBANI: In order to revive the dying art of terracotta in Mithilanchal, the Upendra Maharathi Shilp Anusandhan Sansthan, Patna, has organized a terracotta festival in the town from Saturday till March 5.
In all, 18 terracotta artists from across the country are participating in the festival which was formally inaugurated at the local municipal hall by director (industries) Pankaj Kumar Singh.
Speaking on the occasion, Singh said Mithilanchal had a rich tradition of the terracotta art form which, besides showcasing the rich cultural heritage, also provided huge employment opportunities.
Underlining the need to protect and promote the art form, which apparently has become a victim of market forces owing to the growing trend of globalization, Singh highlighted the objectives of holding the festival in Madhubani.
Welcoming the guests, Ashok Kumar Sinha of the sansthan said the state government had already decided to set up two common facility centres, to be constructed at an estimated cost of Rs1 crore each, at village Mangaruni under Rajnagar block of Madhubani and at Maulaganj mohalla in Darbhanga. All facilities like shed, machines, clay, designs training and online marketing would be available at these centres.
The inaugural was addressed among others by local MLA Sameer Mahaseth, DDC Hakim Prasad and Sadar SDO Shahid Parwez.