Karnataka’s first Craft Tourism Village is expected to be opened in a few months in Anegundi at Koppal district. Karnataka State Handicrafts Corporation (KSHDC) is the in-charge of implementing the project and has taken measures to speed up the process. According to reports, the crafts village will be ready by June.
Inspector-General of Police (IGP) D Roopa, who is the Managing Director of KSHDC, visited Anegundi last week to oversee its progress. She also interacted with the artisans and assured them about the completion of the project. KSHDC is the agency in charge of executing the Craft Tourism Village project. It is funded by the Development Commissioner for Handicrafts in New Delhi.
“The main objective of this project is the renovation and beautification of the houses of artisans, the streets and restoration of some ancient structures in the village. This is being done on a priority basis and free of cost for the artisans. The Tourism Department might also benefit from this as a major part of craft tourism includes tourists being able to see how traditional handicrafts are being made.” said D Roopa.
Crafts-tourism being in-thing in tourism "crafts tourism village" is being done at Anegundi,near Hampi,by Karnataka Handicrafts Development Corp under aegis of @TexMinIndia . Today I visited,discussed plan& execution. Artisans here specialise in banana bark products-bags/baskets. pic.twitter.com/aUBjl3IdGT
— D Roopa IPS (@D_Roopa_IPS) February 22, 2021
There are approximately 200 artisan houses in Koppal and its members specialise in making bags, baskets and mats using banana fibre. The raw material is easily available to them as bananas are grown in large numbers in and around the village.
Koppal was chosen for its proximity to Hampi, which is a World Heritage Site, recognised by UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation), said D Roopa. “This gives tourists an opportunity to explore craft tourism along with historical tourism,” she said.
Anegundi is also said to have been the earlier capital of the Vijayanagara dynasty and has been home to artisans for generations.
D Roopa also said that the Detailed Project Report (DPR) is ready and the KSHDC is in talks with governmental agencies at the local level to prioritise it. She also said that the project will be completed in about five months and will be open to tourists soon.