Fascinated by the captivating colors of India, and enlivened by music, the National Art & Cultural Festival is happening at the Golf Green Central Park. ‘Karigar Haat’ as it has been renownedly known, was inaugurated on 20th December, 2023. The inaugural day witnessed a vibrant display of arts, crafts, and unique rural heritage of Bengal that showcased the best of Indian art, Indian music, and Folk art of West Bengal. From intricate handwoven textiles to masterfully carved wooden artifacts; from the rural art of Mojilpur idols to Andhra Pradesh painted lamps; from beautiful ceramic works of Rajasthan to Bengal Dokra arts; From the ecstasies of Assam to the Folk Musks of different states of India, Karigar Haat was trying to showcase the best of Indian culture and how rich it is when it comes to the preservation of the tangible and intangible heritage of India.

The inaugural day was a resounding success. The fair witnessed the musical rapture of Vidushi Haimanti Shukla. The occasion was also graced by eminent guests such as Sarod virtuoso Pandit Tejendra Narayan Majumdar, maestro percussionist Pandit Tanmoy Bose, Hon’ble MIC Mr. Arup Biswas, and the patron of Indian art and artisans and the great art enthusiast Ms. Nandita Pal Chowdhury, Councilors Tapan Dasgupta and Sandip Nandi Mazumdar od wards 94 and 95 resoectively. The whole discourse has been curated by the Directors of Tabla.inc, an institution and brainchild of Pt. Tanmoy Bose and Ms. Bonnya Bose, and the directors of AIM, Mr. Gopal Chakraborty and Sonali Chakraborty. The vibrant atmosphere and diverse array of crafts captivated attendees. The fair witnessed the enthralled excitement of Dhamsha and Madol, the Chou artistry, the Ron-Paa, Raibeshe, and different art forms of rural Bengal. The vibrant energy of the folk fair was elevated to new heights by the group performance of the students of Pt. Tanmoy Bose. Starting from three and ending at forty in terms of age, almost fifty students of Pandit Tanmoy Bose performed Tabla Lahara on stage comprising the traditional compositions of Farukhabad and the age-old traditional ‘Parrhant’ of the Vedic hymns. The juxtaposition of the Hymns and Soundscape of Drum Dreamz created a positive aura in the environment and mesmerized the audience with their beautiful renditions of the compositions based on Teen-taal.  

The audience chronologically witnesses the mesmerizing folk renditions by singing sensation Lopamudra Mitra, followed by Tamil Folk Dance, Chhou, and a special performance by Akkas Fakir. Raibeshe snatched the attention of the audience and they stood enthralled before the dais to witness the energy brought forth by Anarkyst. Shalini Mitra on the fourth day of the fair presented traditional classical compositions, followed by Borno Anonyo, a special creative scape curated by Mr. Satyaki Banerjee. Gotipoa and Odisshi dance on the penultimate day created an energetic milieu, followed by Pandavani, directed by Ms. Sima Ghosh. The ultimate day witnessed the beautiful artistry of Beni Putul Naach, and the evening followed the divine musical performances by Baul Gayetri Das and Krishnadas Bairagya respectively.

Almost twenty-five states participated in the fair exhibiting their art works. Tant of Bengal, Handlooms of Odisa, Intricacies of Assam and Chattishgarh, Paintings of Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh, beautifully decorated lamps of Madhya Pradesh, and so on have excited the nerves of the attendees with their variations in colors and design.