‘Hunaar Haat’ turns into a symbol of communal amity

The ongoing “Hunar Haat”, an initiative of the minority affairs ministry, has become a symbol of communal harmony. If stall owners stop playing music during the Azaan at the masjid near the venue, stall owners selling non-vegetarian cuisine have decided to sell only vegetarian food on Friday on the occasion of ‘Mahashivratri.’ Some of them will also provide “vrat ka khana” for the occasion. The “Hunar Haat” has been receiving tremendous response from the people since it was inaugurated on February 11, with more than 26 lakh people have visited it since then.

From handicrafts to qawwali and gazals performance, the Hunar Haat has become a major attraction where people are thronging for Awadhi Mughlai food from Lucknow to dal baati churma of Rajasthan to Kerala’s Malabari food to Maharashtran puran poli to Kashmiri Wazwan and Manipuri cuisines.

With ‘Mahashivratri’ on Friday, stalls at the “bawarchikhana” section at the Haat, which sell nonvegetarian cuisines, have decided to serve only vegetarian food items, including the “vrat ka khana.”

This is the second edition of “Hunar Haat” where artisans and craftsmen from the minority communities from across the nation display and sell their work. The first edition of this Humar Haat was organised at the India International Trade Fair last year.

More than 100 artisans along with more than 30 ‘bawarchies’ are participating in this Haat, including state and national level awardees. Minority affairs minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi had said that his ministry is planning to set up such ‘haats’ in every state so that craftsmen get more opportunities.