Dastkari Haat Samiti presents its 40th annual crafts bazaar

The Dastkari Haat Samiti will organise its 40th Annual Crafts Bazaar at Dilli Haat, INA, from January 1 to January 15. The event is being presented under the leadership of Jaya Jaitly, president of the Samiti.

The annual bazaar, held at the beginning of the year, continues the organisation’s long-standing engagement with India’s craft communities by providing artisans a direct platform to showcase and sell their work. Over four decades, the Dastkari Haat Samiti has focused on sustaining traditional livelihoods while adapting crafts to contemporary markets.

This year’s edition will feature over 130 stalls representing crafts and textiles from across India. The range includes ikat, Banarasi weaves, hand-block prints, Chanderi, Bandhani, Kalamkari, baskets, pottery, jewellery, durries, and traditional art forms such as Madhubani, miniature painting and Gond art.

A special focus of the 2026 bazaar is “The Art of the Indian Quilt”, a demonstrative workshop scheduled from January 3 to January 13. The workshop will highlight the making of quilts used across different regions of India, from heavy winter quilts in northern states to ceremonial and utilitarian coverings in other parts of the country.

The programme will include live demonstrations by women artisans from Rajasthan, Delhi and Maharashtra, showcasing techniques such as cutting, layout planning, stitching and embroidery. Quilts on display emphasise sustainability, with many created through the reuse of old sarees and leftover fabric, held together using simple running stitches.

Several new artisans and craft collectives will participate this year. These include heritage storytelling quilts by Hemlata Jain of Karnataka, climate-conscious textile work by Mother Quilts from Maharashtra, collaborative handwoven and handprinted textiles by Tant Mudran, and traditional weaving by artisans from West Bengal, Rajasthan and Maharashtra. Crafts such as woodblock printing, bamboo work, Warli painting and Kolhapuri footwear will also be represented.

In addition to crafts, the bazaar will host cultural performances throughout the fortnight. Chhau dance artists from West Bengal will perform from January 1 to 8, followed by folk music and dance presentations from Rajasthan between January 9 and 15. Regional food stalls from different states will also be part of the event.

When: January 1–15; 11 AM to 8 PM

Where: Dilli Haat, INA, New Delhi