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Bhimthadi Jatra 2024: Where rural Maharashtra comes alive with a vibrant celebration!

The much-awaited Bhimthadi Jatra returns for its 18th edition, promising an unparalleled showcase of Maharashtra’s rural arts, culture, and sustainable innovation.

Bhimthadi Jatra 2024: Where rural Maharashtra comes alive!
A Jatra Where rural Maharashtra comes alive!

From 20th to 25th December 2024, at the College of Agriculture Ground, Sinchan Nagar, Pune, this iconic event brought together rural artisans, entrepreneurs, and urban audiences in a vibrant celebration of traditions and modernity.

This year’s Jatra holds special significance as it marked the 25th Death Anniversary of Padmashree (Late) Shri Appasaheb Pawar, a pioneering agriculturalist renowned for his revolutionary contributions, including the introduction of drip irrigation.

In honour of his legacy, a memorial section was set up at the entrance, highlighting his life and groundbreaking achievements, ensuring that the Jatra where sustainability and empowerment takes center-stage remains deeply rooted in agricultural innovation and rural progress.

The event featured a wide array of exciting highlights, beginning with the Farmers’ Produce Section, which emphasised “Residue-Free” products, ensuring clear communication regarding the health benefits and sustainability of these items. This section also showcased GI-tagged products, fresh farm produce, including honey, and other agricultural innovations.

Bhimthadi Jatra 2024: Where rural Maharashtra comes alive!
The Pune Bhimthadi Jatra 2024: Where rural Maharashtra comes alive!

The Bhimthadi Select Section housed 30 premium stalls showcasing sustainable textiles, clothing crafted with natural dyes, and handcrafted lifestyle products, reflecting India’s rich artisan heritage. The Swayamsiddha Section, dedicated to women entrepreneurs and self-help groups, featured items such as bamboo jewellery and clay diyas made by specially-abled children. This section also highlighted FSSAI-certified food products, including millet snacks, pumpkin juice, and wood apple barfi.

For the first time, Telangana Stalls enriched the Jatra’s cultural tapestry, offering traditional handlooms and authentic cuisine from the region. Another key highlight was the Bara Balutedar Section, which paid tribute to Maharashtra’s traditional occupational communities.

Visitors also witnessed live demonstrations of rural craftsmanship by artisans such as Chambhars (cobblers), Kumbhars (potters), and Mang (bamboo artisans), providing an immersive experience into Maharashtra’s rural economy.

The food area continued to be a major attraction, offering authentic Maharashtrian delicacies such as Malvani seafood thalis, Kolhapuri tambda-pandhra rassa, and sweet treats like ukadiche modak and khapri varchi puran poli.

In addition to the exhibits and stalls, the Jatra where tradition meets sustainability, also hosted engaging workshops, including a Saree Draping Workshop by Ashwini Narayan, designed to make saree draping fun and accessible for younger audiences.

This year, the #ShareYourPrivilege Campaign encouraged urban audiences especially younger generations to embrace cultural diversity and bridge the rural-urban divide.

The event where tradition meets sustainability and empowerment continues its mission to empower women by providing them a platform to showcase their skills and entrepreneurial spirit through handicrafts, textiles, and culinary creations.

Commenting on this Mrs. Sunanda Tai Pawar said, “Bhimthadi Jatra is more than just an event; it is a celebration of the heart and soul of rural Maharashtra. This year, as we honour the remarkable legacy of Shri Appasaheb Pawar on his 25th death anniversary, we are reminded of the deep connection between agricultural innovation and sustainable progress. Through this platform, we aim to empower rural artisans and entrepreneurs, fostering a space where tradition and modernity coexist, inspiring both urban and rural communities alike.”

About the Jatra

The Jatra is a rural carnival with a variety of domains like Cultural exhibitions, Food markets, Flea Markets, Live Shows and much more. It is the one-stop junction to enjoy a complete rural Carnival. It is a place where woman are given a chance to present their skills such as handicrafts, textiles, food, music etc. It’s a place to empower the women and the culture. Bhimthadi Jatra is the perfect combination of culture, skills and entertainment. It is a magical blend of rural tradition and ethics to modern exhibitions. Visitors are welcome to be a part of the most phenomenal carnival.

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