AGARTALA, March 14 (TIWN): National level Handloom Expo has been organized on Monday at the Urban Haat Complex.

The programme was organized by Directorate of Handloom, Handicraft and Sericulture with the sponsorship of Office of the Development Commissioner for Handlooms.

The fifteen days long expo is expected to continue till March 28.

It has been mentioned that altogether 24 stalls of Agartala were set up. Besides, a total of 46 stalls are from outside the state.

Handloom is the oldest industry in the State and the tribal people produce their own clothes with elegant designs, unique colour combinations and lasting texture. The traditional items produced include Risa and Riha.

Ethnic groups in Tripura make wide variety of handicraft products using bamboo and cane. Cane and Bamboo occupy a distinctive place in the life of Tripura. Wide variety of wonderful objects is made out of the Cane and Bamboo.

Handloom is the single largest and perhaps the oldest industry in the state of Tripura and is scattered in the rural as well as semi-urban areas. It has grown with the civilisation itself and people in this region look to weaving inseparable part of life. The industry has grown as the art has passed from one generation to another.

However, the programme was inaugurated by Agartala Municipal Corporation mayor Dr. Prafullajit Sinha in presence of other members.

It is to be mentioned here that the handloom industry of India is as old as our civilisation itself and boasts of a lot of living traditions to this day.

The tradition of weaving by hand is a part of the country's cultural ethos. The handloom sector has a unique place in the country’s economy. It has been sustained by transferring skills from one generation to another.