Craft connoisseurs of Pune will get an opportunity to witness an exciting and vibrant collection of arts, crafts and textiles from all over the India in the form of the Dastkari Haat, starting this Friday. One can not only meet craftsmen and artisans from all over India but also buy their wares, directly from the artist. In tandem with the folk theme, daily performances of folk culture and puppet shows will also take place.

 Small figurines that are made as per local craft techniques

On the highlights of Dastkari Haat, which will be happening for the first time in the city, Jaya Jaitly, founder of the Dastkari Haat Samiti, shares, “Crafts in India are so varied that one can gain new insights every time one visits a genuine crafts bazaar where the makers themselves are present. I hope visitors will see the large amount of innovation and quality improvements that have taken place because they have better access to customers in different cities. Newer crafts have emerged due to income-generation programmes. The artisans have used local materials and skills to create handmade utility products that do not necessarily come under traditional crafts as such.”