Pilibhit (Uttar Pradesh), Feb 16 (IANS) After Bareilly got its famous ‘jhumka’, it’s now the turn of Pilibhit to get its own ‘bansuri’ chowk to showcase the Uttar Pradesh district’s connection with the manufacture of flutes.
A survey will be conducted soon to finalise a prominent place in the city to be developed as ‘Bansuri Chowk’, Divisional Commissioner Ranvir Prasad said.
Pilibhit is famous for handmade best-quality bamboo flutes, such as ordinary straight-blow flutes and side-blown or transverse flutes that are mainly crafted by Muslim artisans.
Prasad said that the project to showcase the 150-year-old industry manufacturing the Indian musical instrument came under the Uttar Pradesh government’s ambitious one-district-one-product (ODOP) programme, which aims to encourage indigenous products and crafts in the state.
“But before we showcase it to the world, we need to make the craft and its connection with the city popular among its own residents,” he said.
The Commissioner has initiated ‘Paint My City’ campaign in which people are encouraged to paint murals on the walls of their homes and government buildings.
The administration plans to install a big custom-made flute in the city’s middle to attract the attention of visitors.
The idea came after Bareilly hogged tremendous publicity following unveiling of a huge ‘jhumka’ (dangler) at a specially developed crossing on a national highway.
“As the embroidery on Bareilly’s ‘jhumka’ promotes its handicraft industry, apart from being a tourist attraction, authorities hope ‘bansuri’ too will play the dual role of becoming a landmark of Pilibhit city as well as promote its traditional flute industry,” said the officer.
He said that he had also invited suggestions from people on how to make the campaign more widespread and effective.
According to a conservative estimate, Pilibhit accounts for 90 per cent of the flutes manufactured in India. The instrument is in high demand abroad, including the US and European countries.
“We make various types of flutes from bamboo brought all the way from Silchar in Assam,” said flute-maker Shafat Khan.
On February 8, over 200-kg and 14-feet high ‘jhumka’ replica was installed at the zero point on National Highway 24 in Bareilly, which was inaugurated by Union Minister and local MP Santosh Gangwar.
The dangler in the city’s Parsakhera is studded with colourful stones and the famous ‘zari’ embroidery.
–IANS
amita/tsb
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