Copper enamel home decor
Promoting India's rich craft heritage for more than 35 years now, Dastkari Haat Samiti has been at the forefront of supporting the crafts community and building a thriving artisan-buyer ecosystem. Coming once again to Pune, after a prolonged pause because of the pandemic, the much-loved artisan-driven crafts bazaar has found a new location in the burgeoning city that should be more central for friends, both old and new, to reach the bazaar from different locations. The art festival which is being hosted at Dutch Palace, 16, Bund Garden Road will be on till November 21, between 11 am 8 pm.
Patachitra notebooks
The organisation has been working with them from the first day of the lockdown to ensure they received adequate rations and support systems. It has financially aided those who were in distress and could not pay their rent, school fees, urgent medical treatment and other needs. These artisans, despite being under financial and personal challenges, never stopped working as they hoped to display their craft to the patrons in the post-pandemic world.
With 90 stalls with a diverse range of weaves, hand block prints, embroideries, crafts in grass, bamboo, metal, wood, and other plant material, jewellery, stationery, ceramic and terracotta, and traditional art from tribal Gond to Kalighat, Phads to Pattachitra and Pichhwais, the stalls will offer glimpses of India.
At the art show, a host of new craftsmen will be displaying their craftsmanship and labour of love from across India’s hinterlands. Some of the main highlights are:
- Fine mats from Medinipur and baskets from Sitapur, brought by the Mon Ami Foundation.
- A rare new grass weaving group making fine basketry called Aadim Janjati Samhu from the inner Naxal-ridden forests of Jharkhand.
- Plaited fabric tableware from Project 1000.
- A new Patachitra artist Sirajudullah Chitrakar with scrolls and songs from West Bengal,
- Gold Leaf embossed Pichhwais from Rajasthan
- Glass objects and jewellery by Mahesh from Firozabad
- Lilaben Parbu Impa from Kutch with extra fine Soof embroidery
- EkiBeki created by Vishpala Hundekari with an array of artistic stationery
- Stationery made of handmade paper in the most organic of raw materials - Elephant Poo from Jaipur!
- Kotpad, Odisha, fabrics and saris in rare natural dye colour
Music, food and much more
No celebration of crafts is complete without musical afternoons and evenings and a lavish spread of cuisines representing the food diversity of India. In this edition, Mura Lala Marwada, the amazing Coke Studio-featured singer with his group, will complete the cultural experience of a true craft mela. In addition, do try out some interesting snacks from our Amritasari and Rajasthani stalls.
“Craftspeople have created the best and we have also tried to put our best foot forward. Now it's the customers and craft lovers who can help to sustain India’s rural livelihoods and cultural heritage to step forward and join us in making this a truly happy journey for makers and buyers,” says Jaya Jaitly, President at Dastkari Haat Samiti.