Punjab Govt gears up to hold Heritage Festival in Patiala

Patiala, Feb 2 (UNI) The SAD-BJP Government has set up Patiala Craft Mela Committee for managing the popular annual Heritage Festival to be held in the third week of this month.

The Tourism department has been given the responsibility to hold this fortnite-long event in association with Union Ministries of Tourism and Ministry of Textile.

As part of this event, a Craft Mela on lines of the Surajkund Craft Mela will also be organised for which the Punjab Kala Parishad, Chandigarh has been roped in.

The festival is proposed to be held at Sheesh Mahal ground, a part of old Moti Bagh Palace Complex. The sprawling eight acres area is marked by a dry lake bed with a suspension bridge called Luxman Jhula.

The dry lake bed will form the stage for the Craft Mela, while the garden around it will be used for performing artists and for erecting food stalls.

Around 200 craftsmen from across the country will be participating in the event. A craft bazaar will also be part of the Craft Mela and will display copper engraving, traditional jewellery, pottery, paintings.

Earlier, launched by the previous Congress Government in 2003, this mega event was being held under the aegis of Patiala Heritage society under the chairmanship of Maharani Preneet Kaur, with the help of INTACH.

UNI XC JN VN1855