Pune hosts Dastkari Haat Craft Bazaar, celebrating India's artisanal heritage

Pune is hosting a major celebration of India's artisanal heritage as the renowned Dastkari Haat Samiti brings its annual Craft Bazaar to the city's newest cultural centre, Kalagram. Marking its 11th year in Pune, the Bazaar will run till November 9, 2025, transforming the space into a vibrant marketplace of traditional Indian arts, crafts, and textiles.

A festival of craftsmanship and culture

This year's event holds special significance as it collaborates with the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) to inaugurate Kalagram, a newly developed cultural hub located within the P.L. Deshpande Garden. The venue is dedicated to fostering arts and crafts through workshops, studios, and public programs. The inauguration on October 30th will feature several dignitaries, including Madhuri Satish Misal, Minister of State for Urban Development of Maharashtra 

"We are proud and honored to be part of this wonderful new creative platform for art, craft and culture established by the Pune Municipal Corporation," said Jaya Jaitly, Founder of Dastkari Haat Samiti. She expressed hope that after holding events in Pune for over a decade, "Kalagram will be a true and permanent home for our cultural practitioners. Artists flourish in such embracing environments and our Dastkari Haat will present the very best of India’s traditional skills as always.”

The Bazaar will feature over 120 stalls showcasing the creativity of thousands of artisan families from across the country. Visitors can explore a rich diversity of items, including Kolhapuri chappals by Santosh Vijay More and Kosa silk saris from Pravin Badwe of Nagpur, alongside crafts from other states like Pichwai painting, wood carvings, and gond painting. The show will also introduce over 30 new crafts, arts, and textiles this year.

Beyond shopping, the Bazaar offers an immersive cultural experience. Attendees can enjoy captivating performances by Chhau dancers from West Bengal and Manganjyar singers from Rajasthan. The event will also host hands-on workshops throughout the week, featuring skills such as Gond painting, Madhubani painting, and block printing. Delicious food stalls offering traditional cuisines from Rajasthan and Delhi will be available throughout the event.