Offering a fine break from the virtual events, the Dastkari Haat Annual Craft Bazaar will offer a unique range of saris at Delhi Haat

A showcase of Indian art, crafts and textiles – the 35th Annual Dastkari Haat Annual Craft Bazaar by Dastkari Haat Samiti is all set with the much awaited crafts bazaar of the year welcoming you back to the real rather than virtual world. 

With a confluence of around 170 artisans and master craftsmen from all parts of India, they have some major offerings for the public, despite limited resources and problems of collective activity and even mobility. 

The Dastkari Haat Samiti has been working for the dignity and economic upliftment of its members since March 1986. It is a huge milestone to emerge out of the troubles of the Covid-19 pandemic to create multiple events to mark its three and a half decades of creative work.

This season will see a special exhibition – ‘The Sari Specialists of India’. A team of 15 crafts persons have worked with them in the past year to design 10 new saris, each giving 150 new sari designs which have not been created before in natural block printing, dyeing, weaving, batik, shibori and others. The colourways, blocks and combinations are theme based, some are naturally dyed, some are revivals of decades old blocks and geometric explorations. All the known masters have worked to offer a rare never-before attempted treat for sari lovers.

With their regular Annual Crafts Bazaar section, they are inviting 170 arts, crafts and textile practitioners who are all members of our Samiti to display and sell their work with a prayer and a hope that customers will buy generously and welcome them back to the real rather than virtual world.

Apart from these, this edition will also launch two books. ‘The Craft Skills of India’ and ‘The Language of Indian Graphic Design’. The first offers a huge documentation of 21 art, craft and textiles skills of India covering over 100 styles and techniques.

The latter delves into the original ancient concepts and philosophies that unconsciously guide graphic design in folk art and craft and also scripts and calligraphy. Graphic Design in the western countries grows out of purely technical concepts whereas in India spiritual thought sustains our creative expressions. It will be the first book of its kind.

“The only way to counter the negative is to offer the positive. The work of the Dastkari Haat Samiti completes 35 years of proud and exciting interactions with our wonderful karigars which deserves a collective celebration and an announcement of new work in new areas. Everyone has worked valiantly and creatively during the past horrible year. This itself is worth celebrating “ says Jaya Jaitly.

The festival will be on display at Dilli Hatt from April 1 – 15