Kolkata: The three-day Dokra Mela to showcase the culture and heritage of Bankura district will be inaugurated on November 1. The fair will be organised by the state Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) along with banglanatak.com and Pashim Banga Khadi and Gramin Shilpa Parshad. After coming to power in 2011, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee took up various steps to revive the traditional folk culture and music in Bengal. Over two lakh folk artistes get monthly stipends and are invited to perform at different events hosted by the state government. The century-old Dokra craft has been rejuvenated as the craftsmen get a chance to showcase their products. In the evening, there will be cultural shows including baul, puppetry, jhumur, chau and Raibenshe. The Bhawaiya Utsav will be inaugurated on November 1 at Salkumar in Alipurduar. The entry to the fair is free. It will be organised by the Bhawaiya artistes of Cooch Behar and Alipurduar. The famous mask fair called the "Mukha Mela" will be held at Kushmandi in South Dinajpur and will be inaugurated on November 8. The masks of South Dinajpur have become world famous and scholars on folk culture and music are visiting the area every year. The wooden masks will be displayed at the community museum and the craftsmen will display the process of making them. There will be cultural shows in the evenings on all three days. Three-day Baul Utsav will be inaugurated at Tepantar in East Burdwan on November 22. Around 250 bauls from Burdwan, Birbhum, Bankura, Murshidabad and Nadia will assemble at the fair and take part in the festival. The fairs have earned popularity and tourists from all over the state are visiting them. The rural handicrafts have become popular globally and their exports have gone up.

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