"URMI – 99"- UDAIPUR RURAL MELA INDIA. (Oct.2-6, 1999)

A need to promote Rural Tourism in Rajasthan, in general and in Udaipur Region in particular, was being continuously felt by the members of UCCI for the last one decade. In order to achieve this objective, the Executive Committee of UCCI finally decided to organise a Rural Tourism Mela ( Fair ) at Udaipur. The preliminary spadework to identify the important regions in Southern Rajasthan for the promotion of Rural Tourism was started by the Chamber.

Various Departmental heads and other related institutions and agencies were contacted and were brought in confidence to organise the event early. Finally in a joint meeting of the members of UCCI, Travel Agents’ Association of Udaipur and the officers of West Zone Cultural Centre, Udaipur, the name of Mela as "URMI – 99" : Udaipur Rural Mela India was unanimously approved and October 2 – 6, 1999 were fixed as the suitable dates for the Mela. Further to it an organisational set-up was decided. A Rural Tourism Apex Committee and other committees such as Organising Award, Documentation, Craft, Costume, Finance, Food Craft, Publicity, Reception, Security & Safety, Sports, Transport, Management Committees were formed and work was assigned. The West Zone Cultural Centre provided technical support in the matter of promoting art and culture for the event. Travel Agents Association rendered important opinion on tourism industry and rural tourism in this regard.

To make this event more effective, all the stalls of Art and Craft were divided into six distinct sub – divisions viz; Mewar, Girwa, Bhomat, Rajsamand, Vagad and Godwad. For each division a Theme Stall was installed depicting important characteristics such as habits, costumes, culture, cuisine, crafts, art and sports of Rural people and their life styles for the information of the visitors in the Mela.

During Mela various cultural shows were arranged. They were presided over by renowned personalities viz; Padmashree Komal Kothari from Jodhpur, Shri P.S. Mehra, Collector, Udaipur, Shri Nirmal Wadhvani, Collector, Rajsamand, Smt Kiran Maheshwari, Chairperson, Municipal Council, Shri Vishwas Mehta, Director, WZCC, and Shri Toshio Matsuda, Sr. Representative of Japan Bank for International Cooperation, Japan,.

As an attraction for children a Children’s Corner was installed which provided different traditional games and Camel Riding in the Mela. Olympic Gold Medalist, Shri Shyam Lal, gave his important performance in Archery "Teerandaji" in the Mela. A Booklet was also published giving various uses of maize cereal in the local cusine: Mewari dishes were the main attraction and were largely relished by the visitors. Art and Crafts such as Teera-Cotta of Molela and Gogunda, Puppets of Bassi in Chittor, Kavad-Epics in wood of Kawadia-Bhats, Traditional Teer making by Teergar of Chanduji Ka Guda in Banswara, Tribal Costumes of Pindwara were prominent attractions in the Mela. Famous Folklores and Folkdances by Bheels, Garasias, Meena, Kathodis, Kanjars and Saharias (Ethnic groups) added grace to the Mela.

The Mela was inaugurated on 2.10.99 by Shri Ashwini Lohani, Director, Tourism, Govt. of India. The event was telecast on Television by Doordarshan highlighting its important functions and values.  In the closing function of Mela on 6.10.99 at 6.00 P.M. Chief Guest, Shri Toshio Matsuda, Sr. Representative of Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC), Japan, presided. Prizes were distributed to the participating Artists and Craftsmen. Shri Ramesh Choudhary, Chairman, Organising Committee thanked the guests and participants. He expressed his gratitude towards the officers of WZCC, members of TAAU and other agencies such as Media, Doordarshan, Public Relation Department, District Administration etc. for their active co-operation and help.

The event was a very successful effort of the organisers to provide further impetus to the tourism industry in the area.

HORSE SHOW AND LIGHT & SHADOW SHOW
An interesting Horse show and a Light & Shadow Show were jointly organised by UCCI, TAAU and West Zone Cultural Centre, Udaipur at Jharokha Kot, in Kaladwas Village at From 6.00 PM to 8.30 PM on 7.10.99 in continuation to the activities for development of Rural Tourism. Trained Horses and Mares from Gujarat and Udaipur gave beautiful dance performances. In the Light & Shadow Show ‘Pathal & Peethal’ poem was depicted. Shreeji Arvind Singhji Mewar was the Chief Guest on this occasion. A gathering of more than 400 persons including members with their spouses and local residents witnessed and applauded the shows.