Whether for a wedding or a festival, everyone desires to look attractive in beautiful attire. As times change, so do people’s preferences. There is a growing demand for handloom fabrics as lightweight and stylish handmade garments are now favoured by individuals across all age groups, in contrast to heavily embroidered clothing.
Recognising this increasing demand, numerous handloom stalls have been set up at the Sisir Saras fair, organised by ORMAS and Subhadra Shakti this year. Artisans from Odisha and more than 20 other states are participating in the fair, showcasing a diverse range of fabrics made from cotton, silk, tussar, khadi, and wool. For those who enjoy collecting unique fabrics from different regions, Sisir Saras has become a major collection hub. The fair offers a wide array of products, including sarees, salwar suits, shawls for women, and dhotis and kurtas for men, all at affordable prices.
From traditional Sambalpuri sarees to various handloom products from different districts of Odisha, the stalls are seeing heavy foot traffic. Geographic Indication (GI) tagged products like Bargarh Ikat, Gopalpur Tussar sarees from Jajpur, Bomkai from Balangir, and Sambalpuri weaves from Sonepur and Sambalpur are particularly appealing to customers. There is also a strong interest in purchasing kurtas, dresses, dupattas, suit pieces, and various fabrics. Additionally, tribal handloom varieties such as Habaspuri from Kalahandi and Kotpad sarees from Koraput are experiencing particularly high demand.
Products from other states are garnering significant attention as well. Vibrant Phulkari suits and sarees from Punjab, Telangana’s captivating Banjara embroidery, Rajasthan’s block and batik prints, and Andhra Pradesh’s Kalamkari embroidery are being actively sought after by visitors, often accompanied by bargaining.
Collections of silk and Tussar from Banaras, Madhya Pradesh, Mysore, Bihar, and Assam are appreciated for both their quality and pricing. Other highlights include Goa’s crochet work, such as wall hangings and table cloths, Kashmir’s Ari work, and Assam’s Mekhla Chadar. In addition to textiles, handloom-made handbags, purses, jewellery, hand-painted dupattas, sarees, and various home décor items are also gaining popularity.
The fair experienced massive crowds and strong sales on Sunday, with similar patterns continuing on the third day. By the end of that day, the total business turnover had exceeded ₹3.5 crore.
Alongside shopping, cultural programs on the fourth day entertained audiences with performances such as Dhruvatara Odissi dance, Ghoda Nach, Bharatanatyam from Tamil Nadu, and a vibrant Sambalpuri Night music show by Archana Padhi, which received an enthusiastic response from spectators.
On the occasion of Makar Sankranti, ORMAS will host a Kite Festival at the Sisir Saras fair on January 14 and 15. It is anticipated that even larger crowds will attend, allowing visitors to enjoy both the fair and the special kite festival.
