Bhubaneswar: Celebrating Odisha’s age-old terracotta and pottery traditions while providing a major market platform to traditional artisans, the State-level Annual Terracotta Exhibition “MRUTTIKA 2026” commenced today.
Inaugurating the exhibition organised at the IDCO Exhibition Ground in Bhubaneswar, Minister for Handlooms, Textiles and Handicrafts, Shri Pradip Bal Samanta, said that terracotta and pottery crafts are living examples of Odisha’s ancient handicraft traditions.
“Free stalls have been provided to all the artisans participating in the exhibition. In addition, the Department has extended support towards their travel expenses, daily allowances and transportation costs for their products. The State Government is committed to the growth and prosperity of the terracotta and pottery crafts,” said the Minister.
Speaking at the inaugural ceremony, Commissioner-cum-Secretary of the Department, Smt. Guha Poonam Tapas Kumar, said that the primary objective of the exhibition is to showcase terracotta and pottery crafts under one roof and provide a commercial platform for the growth and prosperity of artisans.
The exhibition has been organised by the Department of Handlooms, Textiles and Handicrafts keeping the festival of Diwali in view. It will continue till 6th November. This year, a total of 218 stalls have been set up.
The exhibition will remain open every day from 11 AM to 9 PM. Around 380 terracotta and pottery artisans from 26 districts of Odisha are participating in the exhibition. This year, the business turnover of more than Rs 3 crore is expected. Cultural programmes will be organised every evening to attract visitors.
The Theme Pavilion showcases the journey of terracotta handicrafts.
Director of Handicrafts Smt. Nibedita Pushti, Special Secretary of the Department of Handlooms, Textiles and Handicrafts Shri Bikramaditya Barik, Special Officer Smt. Indira Behera, Joint Secretary Smt. Mamata Nayak, Financial Advisor Smt. Madhusmita Behera, Deputy Director of Handicrafts Shri Managobinda Jena and other departmental officials were also present at the ceremony.
During the inauguration, both the Minister and the Secretary visited the exhibition stalls and enquired about the artisans’ well-being.
During their interaction, the artisans shared their experiences of being associated with the terracotta craft and spoke about the profits they earn through their yearlong Handicrafts business.It is worth mentioning that more than 44,000 artisans in the State earn their livelihood through these crafts.
Among the 64 handicrafts recognised by the State Government, terracotta and pottery crafts are among the prominent traditional crafts of Odisha.
The exhibition is expected to give traditional artisans greater visibility, connect them with new buyers and provide fresh momentum to Odisha’s vibrant clay craft industry.
