Bengaluru, May 8 (KNN)  With the opening of Bengaluru Santhe, residents of the garden city can feast their eyes on exquisite arts and crafts unique to their state as well as the nation.

Bengaluru Santhe, a permanent exhibition and marketing venue for exhibition and sale of handicrafts, handlooms as well as folk and fine arts will be launched and open to the public by the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) shortly on S V Road.
 
The facility will feature 38 stalls for food and unique arts and crafts created by around 70 rural artisans and self-help groups from Karnataka, according to media reports.
 
“The products with the themes ‘Best of Karnataka’ and ‘Best of India’ will be handed to participants for 10 to 90 days.  It will also provide opportunities to rural people to participate so as to present the best and brightest available,” BMRCL said.

Bengaluru Santhe has been set up by the State Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department and is supported by the Union Ministry of Rural Development.
 
Rural units that wish to participate will need to pay a minimum fee of Rs 100 to 150 per stall per day, which includes cost of electricity, besides a revenue share of 5 per cent of gross sales.
 
Revenue collected will be used for the maintenance of the facility.
 
Conceptualised by alternative building technology specialists M R Yogananda and Subhas Chandra Basu, the Santhe will showcase traditional housing structures common in Karnataka’s countryside like Thotti mane, Katti mane and Gumbaj.  (KNN)