Ekamra Haat

SHOPPING, BHUBANESWAR Updated : Apr 24, 2017, 01.10 PM IST

Sugato Tripathy

An ex banker, currently a B-school professor, travel writer, amateur photographer and an eternal beach lover with a view that "Life is Short & the World is Wide". Hailing from the beautiful city of Bhubaneswar, he has travelled extensively in India and has explored places in Thailand, Malaysia, Maldives, Seychelles, Italy, Philippines and Western Australia. His expertise lies in providing travel experiences, destination tips and featured guides. His idea of "nirvana" is to vegetate on the beach or wander aimlessly in the mountains. You can check out his photo essays at http://www.tripography.in

Photo courtesy: Sugato Tripathy
Tucked away in a small area which is a part of one of the largest exhibition grounds in the state, Ekamra Haat is a unique amalgamation of art and crafts, handlooms and embroidery works from several states of India. Unlike time bound exhibitions, there are permanent stalls of Gujarat, Jammu and Kashmir, Rajasthan etc., which sell their indigenously made products. Accompanying these shops are several eateries, which sell authentic Odia food (mostly non-veg.), including a few fast food shops. Pleasant ambiance, manicured gardens, a small pond and various places to sit attract lots of visitors to this place. Located in the heart of the city, this cluster of 42 handloom and handicraft shops boast of plethora of traditional items. Designed in a way to portray a rural market setting, the shops are housed inside huts. Terracotta artefacts, appliques, pattachitra paintings, decorated palm leaf engravings, sarees, bed sheets, curtains and other handlooms are sold here.
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