New Delhi: While most people around the world are struggling with their New Year resolutions, the capital is ushering in 2016 with a long list of events. The ongoing 30th Annual Dastkari Haat Craft Bazaar in Dilli Haat, INA proves to be a pick for a lot of Delhi-ites this week.
Organised by the Dastkari Haat Samiti, it brings together 170 craftsmen from villages and towns all across India to showcase their super creative craftworks at a single stop.
In an exclusive interview with IBNLive.com, Jaya Jaitly, founder of organising Samiti, told us about how the craftsmen from Myanmar have been invited for participating in this exclusive edition and how much they’ve loved this exotic place. ‘We want something like this in Burma’, was the first thing they said when they entered Dilli Haat for the event. According to her, choosing this location fulfils multi-purpose functions. From our Indian craftsmen getting to know about the neighboring craftworks to letting the sponsors know that their money is being put to a good use; the selection does it all.
While UK based Kathleen feels it’s a ‘lifetime experience to visit a place as lively and vibrant as this’, Vintee from Lucknow says, “It's my first time in Delhi and I'm so in love with the creativity that our artisans have”. With varied views and reviews from the people; we've penned down some reasons why this diverse festival shouldn’t be missed at all.
Not only does the Bazaar make for a good day spend but also soothes your soul when you realise the amount of hardwork and efforts being put in to actually make this 15-day event work.
It might end up giving you a tremendous ‘creative surge’ in your life when you see such mind boggling ideas in action. From a ‘zero-waste’ approach to an ‘elephant’s poop’ created products; this has it all.
If your pocket doesn’t allow you to travel across India, this is definitely the place to be. It’s truly a mini-India in function. Including traditional art works like ‘Namda handicraft’ from Rajasthan, ‘Charma-chitrakaar’ from Andhra Pradesh, ‘Patua painting’ from Kolkata, ‘Chauka Bara’ game from Karnataka, ‘miniature clay toys’ from Lucknow and so much more; it transcends space and time barriers literally.
Colorful, vibrant, picturesque are only some of the words to describe the current view of the ongoing festival. It is sure to be a photographer’s delight for its serene beauty and photogenic landscape.
As intriguing as this looks, it is sure to dig a deep hole in your pockets. With every stall, you’ll end up spending a fat-some amount on stuff that you might not even use but just admire for its extravagance. From paper pens costing Rs 40 to paintings and home decor items up to a few lakhs; everything is planned to woo you to the fullest. While you’ll be overwhelmed with the display, remember the dos-and-don’ts- of bargaining. Bargain, bargain till you drop.
For what it’s worth, this craft bazaar is a one-step stop for all your needs and desires. Whether you’re a book-buff or a jhumki-buff; we’re sure that all your demands will be met here. Stationary, jootis, chappals, bags, home-decor items, wall paintings, bedsheets, shawls, woollens, games, toys, jewellery, tables, utensils; they’ve everything to be precise.
One of the highlighting features of this festival is that (apparently) there’re no middle-men handling your buys. You deal straight with the artisans and craftsmen. With live demonstration of the weaving looms, the visitors can easily interact, learn and explore the depths of Indian and Burmese handicrafts and textiles.
Another exciting feature of this time’s mela is that there are craftswomen from Myanmar practicing shell craft, handloom textile weaving, hyacinth grass weaving and basketry, mat weaving. With the exhibition of the world famous Pathein umbrellas, puppets, velvet slippers, lacquer work and jade items, this Mela is all-the-more worth a visit.
If you haven't yet received your paycheck or you’re simply in some financial crisis, you can just go for a stroll, witness the incredible sight and satisfy your inner self by window-shopping and exploring the unexplored.
Last but not the least, there's plenty of food to help your craving stomach. From Maharashtra's vada pao to Goa's fried fish; it almost offers the entire map of our country for delicious delicacies.
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