Indians have a culture that is imbibed with art, history and magic. All of this is depicted in the art festivals that are held throughout the year. If you enjoy travelling or working with craft materials or you enjoy culture, these craft festivals are a must for you. The following list showcases the ten best craft festivals to visit in India.
Surajkund Mela
It is a mixture of art, culture and creativity, it is similar to walking into a real life artistic museum. It happens in Faridabad and Haryana. It will fill you with a whirlwind of pleasure. The Madhubani paintings that are sold there are world famous. One can also enjoy Bengali sweets and the Rajasthani thali while they are shopping for craft!
Dilli Haat
It is such a lovely craft festival that it happens every few weeks in various parts of India. Imagine that you feel the best vibes of Delhi throughout the year. New artisans keep visiting, showcasing the crafts that they are experts in. These include tribal necklaces, handmade sarees, terracotta decorative pieces. You can buy phulkari dupattas that have an ocean of colours and can compliment your skin very well. You can buy the famous Channapatna toys of Karnataka. All the items have fair pricing. They have good hygiene so you will not have any issues when it comes to cleanliness.
Kala Ghoda Festival
This art festival only happens in Mumbai from the months of late January to early February. This art festival has a slight glimpse of Bollywood glamour to it. All kinds of entertainers, performers and creators take over the stage during this festival. The most loved pieces are the block printed journals and hand painted kettles.
Dudhwa Mahotsav
In Lakhimpur Kheri, you might be able to spot wild tigers by the day and tribal crafts by the night! It is full of tribal jewelry, herbal tea, bowls that are made of bamboo and forest-inspired green jewelry.
Madhya Pradesh Fest
This occurs during the months of September to October and occurs in different small towns like Chanderi. The bestsellers include the tribal Gond art, Chanderi saris, kitchenware that is made from terracotta and other Gond paintings.
Shilp Bazaar
If you are a fan of Banarasi silk saris, you should attend this festival where many local weavers display their crafts. They have woven each and every sari by hand. The stitching on the sari is meticulously done.
Bundi Utsav
Attending this arts and crafts festival is like being a part of royalty. There are diyas that are floating in the water. There are huge elephants that lead the processions. It almost feels as if Diwali, the festival of lights, is celebrated here every night. Hand block printed fabrics are the best sold items in this festival.
Shimla Summer Festival
If you are annoyed with the extremely hot summer of the plains, enjoy the summer coolness in the mountains. This festival is adorned with Himachali woollens, wood carvings, flower shows and pine scented candles.
Serendipity Arts Festival
It takes place in Goa for a week. It is full of workshops where you can learn pottery and painting. There are talks where how to recycle fashionable goods are discussed so that people can understand the importance of sustainability. Some travellers also learn how to dye their clothes using non artificial colors.
Shilpgram Festival
This takes place in the royal city of Udaipur in the December cold. People who visited this folk festival have loved the folk music, the leather mojris and mirror work bags.
It is because of these craft festivals that traditions are passed on. You will receive a good taste of culture in these beautiful events.
Author
Shreeja Mukherjee