Dastkari Haat Samiti marks 40 years with annual crafts bazaar at Dilli Haat

On the first day of 2026, Dilli Haat—Delhi’s open-air crafts marketplace—witnessed the inauguration of Dastkari Haat Samiti’s annual crafts bazaar. Think Ikat and Chanderi weaves, Bandhani and hand-block prints, durries and baskets, pottery and ceramics, home textiles ranging from furniture to durries, Madhubani and Gond art and more. Chhau dancers from West Bengal and folk singers from Rajasthan enliven the performance areas while workshops and interactive programmes give visitors an intimate glance at craft processes.

The ongoing edition, set to continue till January 15, marks a milestone for Dastkari Haat Samiti which was founded in 1986 and is celebrating its 40^th anniversary this year. Jaya Jaitly, president of the organisation, notes Dastkari Haat Samiti’s endeavours to create more immersive programmes for the marketplace since the early 2000s, especially with The Indian Crafts Journey exhibition of 2005 which was attended by former Indian president, the late Dr APJ. Abdul Kalam. “We felt that we must do something at Dilli Haat every year to invigorate it and more to show the possibilities of how the place can be used,” Jaitly tells Open, noting previous editions which included workshops by foreign delegations as well as local institutions such as National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) and Navadanya.

The edition shines a light on The Art of the Indian Quilt, showcasing the variety of quilting designs practised by communities across the country. The showcase juxtaposes these handmade crafts with the abundance of machine-made quilts available in the market whose advertisements sparked Jaitly’s interest in the project. Traditional quilts exemplify an indigenous design philosophy as well as mindfulness—made by hand, using simple stitches and leftover textiles. A multi-day workshop at the bazaar will assemble artisans from Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Delhi to create quilts in front of an audience. “We hope to make about seven quilts which people can watch being made,” she says. “You can watch the tailor putting them together, somebody putting the casing, embroidery and lining.” In presenting the creative process, the workshop will also contemplate the cultural impact of quilting. “The value of quilts is that they make women feel more hospitable, and no cloth is ever wasted, which is a concept we have to teach the world all over again,” Jaitly adds.

Since its establishment in 1994, Dilli Haat has hosted several editions of the crafts bazaar and other events—watching the crafts sector and market perception evolve. Jaitly recalls that conceptualising such bazaars, in the 1990s, was a means of positioning Indian crafts and skills more strongly in a market where malls and international brands were soon going to make their mark. Dastkari Haat Samiti’s work also included other livelihood generation projects, research and documentation—all contributing to expanding, what Jaitly says, “the range and landscape for crafts.” Today, crafts have a much bigger market presence, with not just artisanal bazaars and flea markets, but also designer engagements and new large-scale retail projects—Jaitly gives the instance of The Kunj in New Delhi, with its many crafts-first stores and activities. Yet, the Dastkari Haat Samiti’s bazaars continue to appeal for its setting (Dilli Haat remains one of the city’s major landmarks) and curation. This edition includes a number of new artisans and products including MotherQuilts from Maharashtra showcasing its vintage collection and quilts made from upcycled saris, wood blocks from Uttar Pradesh by Arshad Kafeel, bamboo crafts from Assam by Ashish Singh and Santosh Vijay More’s Kolhapuri chappals. “We try to find good people and keep it genuine, organic and innovative,” Jaitly says. “Having something different and unique serves a lovely purpose.” As winter envelops Delhi, the bazaar—with its many artisanal stalls, cultural performances and activities—testifies to her words, promising warmth and a celebration of all things handmade.

Yet, Jaitly is setting her sights on bigger goals. Among her plans for the future is to set up an extension of Dastkari Haat Samiti that facilities collaborations between craftspeople and interior design studios. If the bazaars offer exposure and new markets for artisans to showcase their time-honoured skills, she hopes that such initiatives will create innovative opportunities for the future of the sector.