Dastkari Haat: The Convergence Of Indian Art & Craft

And what a day it is, my Facebook page Design Decor & Disha has reached 2222 likes and my Instagram account also got 222 followers both on the same day. Amazing isn't it!!
Well, the real good news is that I visited Dastkaari Haat(Craft Bazaar) for the first time in my life. Though I have been to many such exhibitions and fairs earlier where one easily gets to see various arts & handicrafts of India but Dastkaari Haat was totally different from all those exhibitions. My profound love for Indian arts & crafts prompted me to visit the fair and witness the beautiful melange of colours, art forms, handicrafts and textiles that make India a diverse and culture-rich nation.

**Here's an official warning that this post is a picture heavy post so please be patient if you have a slow internet connection!!

Dastkari Haat is a platform for artisans from different parts of India to showcase their talent and to reach the right audience. Artisans from every part of the country were there along with their incredible work of art. Let's take a virtual tour of this beautiful place. Sit back, relax and admire the artists and their artworks as I take you through stall to stall.
As I entered the Haat premises I was greeted by colourful buntings hung all around. I was stunned to see the enthusiasm and cheerfulness in the environment. The very first stall was showcasing the 'Tuma Gourd Craft' of Bastar, Chattisgarh. I saw Gourds beautifully crafted in various shapes and patterns. Dried gourd as planters, wind chimes, hanging lamps and decoratives. Here is an image for you to admire:

Gourd windchimes and hangings

Beautiful Gourd hanging planter

Fish hanging planter

Beautiful sight to look at

Next was the stall of a creative soul who had crafted almost everything using crochet. Crochet notebook covers, tealights, coasters, earrings, bags, bowls and what not. 

Neatly done crochet diaries

The sight of next stall piqued my interest and I had sudden desire to learn the art of quilting. Colorful, plain and patterned squares of clothes, very carefully and neatly stitched together make this beautiful sight.

 Earthy feel of the clay pots and figurines was the point of attraction on the next stall. My son spotted Jadui Diyas there. Oh! well, that is what was written on the sign next to the earthen diyas and the seller was claiming too. They were Jadui(magical) because if you fill oil in them from the hole at the bottom and when you light the Diya oil wouldn't drip or come out from the hole. Some cute small pots and beautifully carved figures were stunning.

I had seen Dhokra/Dokra work many a times but at this stall I saw a very different and contemporary kind of Dhokra artefacts. A stall of artisan from Odisha, showcasing coaster stands, trays, key holders, tea lights and door handle all made of Dokra work.

Contemporary Dokra Artefacts

Who could have thought that stuff made of colorful threads and cloth scraps can look such mesmerising. A stall reflecting a true essence of Rajasthan. Colorful accessories made of thread, newspaper and cloth scraps.

'Something from the heart of the ocean', Accessories and home accents made of pearls and shells were the things I swooned over at the next stall.

And the next one just stole my heart. I was bowled over by the craftsmanship of the brass artefacts that I saw there. My joy knew no boundaries as I gaze in amazement and explore this stall for a good few minutes until my husband pulled me to see the next stuff. Brass artifacts from Aligarh

This very army of brass figurines made me weak at the knees.

Manipur's black stone pottery was the next thing to admire. I was astonished to know that everything there was handmade. 

All the women were flocking around this stall and what I could sense was that the stall had some exquisite and funky jewellery pieces. Neither my camera lens nor its adjustable LCD screen could manage to find a view of the stall from every possible angle. So finally I gave up and just clicked what was hung up there and I must say it was beautiful. I am so sure if the ladies had the power to lift their bodies off the ground to a certain level I wouldn't have gotten the opportunity to click this image as well.

Some faux and dried decorative flower stems were spreading cheer as we headed towards the next section. 

As we were about to leave the place to check out the next section a melodious Rajasthani song and a lovely dance performance by a folk dancer clad in a beautiful Rajasthani attire stopped us. 

Handlooms, terracotta jewellery and handmade pottery stalls were adjacent to each other as we stepped into an open ground that houses around 60-70 stalls. Handmade pottery reminded me of my friend who is learning this art and keeps sharing images of her beautiful creations every now and then. 

Leather goods in myriad colors were so eye pleasing that even my son found it very interesting and kept exploring the beautiful stuff.

Beautiful puppets flanked the stall that showcased handicrafts from Rajasthan proudly. 

A very interesting project 'Paint The Tiger' was going on to spread the awareness about 'Save The Tiger' project. Five contemporary and five traditional artists were given the wooden and fiberglass tigers to paint their imaginations on it. It was a delight to see them painting the tiger in their unique style. Artists were engrossed in painting while I clicked them. 

Channapatna wooden toys brought back so many memories and reminded me of my childhood days. Toys rich in colors, eco-friendly and not harmful like plastic ones. My little one was glued to this stall. 

The ground was entirely covered with the pots and utensils from the different parts of India. Colourful Khurja pottery was making the craft the bazaar even more vibrant and full of artistic energy. 

The rustic and earthy feel of Terracotta pottery had its own charm. Beautiful shapes of pots caught my attention. 

To add to the energy of this craft bazaar, there was a beautiful dance performance by folk dancers. Though the dancer were appearing no less than a terrifying beast to the kids and they were very scared but the grown ups were enjoying the performance and made the dancers celebrity sort of thing by requesting them to pose with their kids again and again. 

After enjoying the stunning folk dance performance, I headed right to the stall that had  Pattachitra art in all its glory. I was stunned to see the fine details.

Next I interacted with Phad master artist from Rajasthan who has won many awards. He showed me a Phad painting depicting complete Hanuman Chalisa. He also enlightened me about the process of making Phad art.

Amidst all the colours and vibrancy the stall in black and white stuff caught my attention. Block printed fabric was truly something very classy.

Applique work, I learnt from my mother and she had made many beautiful bedsheets and dresses for me when I was a kid. The sight of these applique work curtains made me nostalgic. 

You must have read about Madhubani Art of Madhuban, Bihar on my blog earlier. I got a chance to meet the master artist in Dastkari craft bazaar. He was happy to show us all his paintings and tell us about awards and accolades he got. 

Colourful and aesthetically appealing home decor stuff caught my attention. Everything on this stall was handcrafted by a very talented lady.

The moment I saw the next stall I started doing a happy jig. Yes! it was the stall that showcased the art of my state Madhya Pradesh. Gond art, beautiful, vibrant, simple yet very eye pleasing that is what Gond is all about. When I told the artist that I hail from his state, he had a big grin on his face and with his warm gesture he showed me his proud collection.

A very different from terracotta clay this Ajmer clay pottery was something that I was seeing for the first time.

Mosaic lamps are in vogue and I can truly understand why! They look beautiful as a decor accent and when lit they look even more mesmerising.

Got to know about 'Serpentine stone' in the next stall where beautifully carved figurines were on display by the artisans from Odisha.

Now comes the very different, unique art that I must say I got introduced to for the first time. I had never heard or saw this kind of art earlier. Embroidered art, which seemed like oil on canvas but when explained by the artist, my jaw dropped, eyes popped and everything weird that could have happened at such situation happened to me. I was totally in Awe. The artist uses sewing machine, thread and cloth to create his masterpieces. He even showed us some of his videos when the art was in making. Some of his artworks took few months to get completed and few of the pieces took two years. He has got 'Rashtrapati award' for his stunning artwork and his name is also registered in Guinness book of world records. 

Colourful woven grass baskets were spelling cast on onlookers. 

The most melodious stall with all the jingles and chimes. Metal bells and windchimes were the points of attraction.

The miniature art of Rajasthan made on ages old literature and documents was something very unique and equally interesting. The artist handed over a magnifying glass to us to check out the finesse of his artisanship. He was happy to pose for my camera.

It was a day well spent, a very good experience altogether and interaction with so many artists from all around the country made it even more special. Got to know about so many different art forms. If you are an art or craft connoisseur then don't miss the opportunity to check out Indian arts and crafts all at one place. The craft bazaar is open till 6th Dec 2015. 

Hope you enjoy this virtual tour brought to you especially by yours truly. Now stay tuned to read the post that I had promised to publish in my previous post but couldn't because of this impromptu visit to art and craft bazaar. 

Coming up next is an inspiration to bring in the look of your favorite city in your decor!!