Bhubaneswar: After complete renovation, the urban Haat, situated at Unit-III Bhubaneswar popularly known as Ekamra Haat has been reopened for public on Saturday.
After taking over the management of the urban Haat by Handlooms, Textiles & Handicrafts Department from IDCO during October, 2020, the urban Haat has been given a new look.
This Haat will remain open from 10 AM to 9 PM daily following Covid-19 protocols. However, as per State Government guidelines, its timings would be changed for the period from 11th to 20th October, 2021. The Ekamra Haat is managed by State Institute for Development of Arts and Crafts (SIDAC), Bhubaneswar.
The objective of Ekamra Haat is to provide a marketing platform to the artisans and weavers of the State for selling their products. This will also provide a sigh of relief to the artisans and weavers of the State who are affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Haat has two zones namely “Ekamra Kutir” having 50 stalls including 8 for live demonstration and “Ekamra Bazar” having 33 stalls around a large open space. Out of 83 stalls, 56 are for handicrafts sector and 27 for the handlooms sector.
The visitors will be able to buy handicrafts and handlooms products directly from the artisans/ weavers of Odisha and can interact with them. The visitors can also learn more about and enjoy the production process through live demonstrations. Sales outlets of Boyanika, Amlan, Sambalpuri Bastralaya and Utkalika have also been opened in this Haat.
Arrangement for food stalls has been made in Ekamra Haat. Traditional Odia food along with famous delicacies from other parts of India is available under one roof of Ekamra Haat. At least 10 food stalls are there in the Ekamra Kutir zone.
Moreover, facilities such as conference hall, open air theatre, ATM, Parking space, etc are also available in the Ekamra Haat Premises for convenience of visitors/ exhibitors/ buyers.
The Ekamra Haat is a concept to showcase the everlasting heritage of handicrafts and handlooms, culture & tradition of the State of Odisha along with traditional food.