‘Joie de vivre’ at 32nd Surajkund International Handicrafts Mela 2018

Student-teachers of School of Education, G D Goenka University experienced the celebration of Indian folk traditions and cultural heritage at the Surajkund Crafts Mela. The SurajkundMela is unique as it showcases the richness and diversity of the handicrafts, handlooms and cultural fabric of India, & is the largest crafts fair in the world. This year Kyrgyzstan was the Partner Nation and the theme state for the Mela was Uttar Pradesh.

The educational filed trip to the Mela was organized on February 15, 2018 with many-fold objectives such as enabling the student-teachers to appreciate the richness and diversity of folk traditions, culture, handicrafts and handlooms of India; acquire the skills of planning and managing excursions; get sensitized regarding facilities and precautions to be taken during such events; correlate the Gandhian philosophy of craft-centred education for experiential learning; gather information from the artisans through interviews and observations; and appreciate the policies of skill India for capacity building & training of artisans and craftsmen.

The student-teachers and faculty relished the ethnic cuisines from all parts of India and the world as well as enjoyed the performances showcased by renowned national and international folk artistes and cultural groups