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The hands behind India’s handmade traditions take centre stage as Karigar Bazaar returns to Bengaluru with its largest edition yet. From September 4 to 14, the Jayamahal Palace Hotel will bring together more than 250 artisan-led stalls representing crafts from 26 states and union territories, alongside select international participants. National Award-winning artisans, GI-tagged craft practitioners, master craftsmen, women artisans, young craft entrepreneurs and communities preserving lesser-known techniques will meet visitors directly, with live demonstrations, workshops, folk performances and regional food adding context to the craft on display. More than a marketplace, the bazaar makes a simple proposition: a craft market should begin with the karigar — the person whose hands keep the tradition alive. We speak to founders Aamir Khan and Pankaj Singh Rana about what one can expect from this year’s edition.
You make a strong distinction between an authentic craft bazaar and a general exhibition. What are the non-negotiable criteria you use to determine whether an artisan or craft is genuinely represented?
Aamir Khan: For us, authenticity begins with the artisan. A genuine craft bazaar cannot simply be a collection of products that look handmade. We look at who is making the product, where the craft comes from, whether the technique is genuinely practised by the artisan or community and whether the participant has a real connection with the craft tradition they represent. We do not want Karigar Bazaar to become another marketplace where factory-made or mass-produced products are presented as handicrafts. Our focus is on genuine handmade work, traditional knowledge and direct artisan representation. Our organisation believes that the artisan should be visible and accessible to the customer. The idea is not only to sell a product but to allow the buyer to understand who made it, how it was made and what tradition stands behind it.
How many of the 250+ artisans are first-time participants at Karigar Bazaar and are there any particularly rare or endangered crafts being introduced to Bengaluru this year?
Pankaj Singh: Around 100 of our 250+ participating artisans are joining Karigar Bazaar for the first time. This includes several artisans working with rare, traditional and endangered techniques. Some of the interesting participants include Shave z Miyan, a traditional kite maker from Rampur (UP); Ratan Luhar from Rajasthan, who works with traditional iron craftsmanship; and Jagat Ram Dewangan from Chhattisgarh, who works with Tuma craft and Bastar raw iron traditions. We also have Javed Abdullah Luhar from Kutch, Gujarat, who is working with the traditional copper barrel-making craft and Rakesh Kumar Soni from Jaipur (Rajasthan), who continues the tradition of meenakari while also exploring new traditional designs. Sheikh Ishaq is bringing the traditional patan patola weaving tradition, while Mohammad Zubair Khusumiya is showcasing the mashru technique. We also have Volamet from West Bengal bringing batik traditions, along with artisans working in kalamkari, marble art, patchwork, hand embroidery and natural stone art.
Which regions or craft traditions do you think Bengaluru audiences may be encountering for the first time at this edition?
Aamir: This edition brings together a wide range of traditions, including several that Bengaluru audiences may not have encountered directly before. From Tamil Nadu, P Sudharan is bringing bananafibre products and demonstrating how a natural material can be transformed into contemporary handmade products. The Nomi, represented by young designer Sushant Pookhan, will bring Assamese weaving into a contemporary design context. Ujma Shaukat from Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, is showcasing phool patti and traditional zardosi-related craftsmanship, while Vankar Bhimji Kanji and Vankar Hitesh are representing the bhujodi weaving tradition from Gujarat.
The bazaar includes folk performances. Tell us a bit about that too?
Aamir: Muralala Marwada from Kutch, Gujarat, will perfor m from September 4 to 8. Rohit & LokKalakar, representing Rajasthan’s Manganiyar musical tradition, will present from September 9 to 14. Alongside the crafts and music, visitors will find a curated food experience featuring regional flavours, traditional snacks and specialities from different parts of India.
₹100 onwards. September 4 to 14, 11 am to 8 pm. At Jayamahal Palace Hotel
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