The upcoming edition of the Bengaluru Dastkar Bazaar is the biggest one yet!

If you are someone who adores Indian crafts, the upcoming edition of Bengaluru Dastkar Bazaar 2024, is the perfect place to be. With its biggest edition yet, featuring more than 160 crafts groups and more than 25 states of India representing their craft traditions, this upcoming extravaganza will also have 40 percent new groups coming to Bengaluru for the first time with Dastkar. We spoke to Shelly Jain, head of programmes and personnel, Dastkar, to figure everything you need to know about this upcoming edition.

“Last time we got around 140 stalls and this time, the number is even more. This time, we are able to accommodate more people. Also, 40 percent new craft groups will be part of it. They might have come separately to the city but they would be part of our bazaar for the first time. For the customers, they will find new people and stalls. So, you will find a lot of variety this time,” begins Shelly.

When asked what are some of the stalls that people can look forward to, Shelly says, “One stall is of kolhapuri chappals. They are being part of Bengaluru Dastkar for the first time. What we witness now in terms of kolhapuri chappals is that, the people who are making it, don’t make it in a traditional way. But the organisation that will have a stall at the bazaar, they have been practicing the traditional way of making these chappals.”

This bazaar will also feature a wide range of craft skills from across India. From western India, you have crafts such as phad and miniature painting, handloom weaving, dabu, bagru, sanganeri block printing, meenakari, leather and wooden work; and clay and terracotta pottery. Bhil, gond and thangka painting; banarasi, chanderi, patola, paithni and jamdani weaving, shibori and ari; and zardosi embroidery are some of the crafts from northern India. When it comes to the south, you have crafts such as leather puppet painting, ikkat weaving, recycled jewellery, metal work and organic products. Finally, eastern India brings you madhubani, palm leaf work and patachitra painting, cotton, tussar and silk weaving; fibre and wood work, batik printing, kantha embroidery, sea shell products and sholapith work. Elaborating a bit more on how this edition is different from the previous one, Shelly reveals, “Last year, we had very few people bringing in organic natural products. This time we have a lot of new variety in that section. A lot more natural, organic and more towards wellness or beauty products and all of them are from Delhi. We also have an interesting food court this time. There are workshops over the weekend on terracotta pottery, sholapith flower making, patachitra, gond kalighat, pichwai and madhubani painting,” in conclusion.

INR 100 onwards. May 15 to 21, 10.30 am to 8.30 pm. At Jayamahal Palace Hotel, Jayamahal Main Road.

Email: alwin@newindianexpress.com

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