An exhibition in Bandra celebrates some of India’s finest artisans and traditional art forms, along with creating awareness among children about India’s traditions
A child peers at figures on a bottom-lit chessboard, made with Tholu Bommalata, a puppet-making craft from Andhra Pradesh, during an earlier exhibit. Pics courtesy/Project Tarasha
An upcoming exhibition, Tarasha Craft Exhibit 2026, will showcase hand-made creations of 21 Indian artisans at a Bandra venue. “The artisans displaying their skills have been mentored by Project Tarasha and empowered to showcase their products and art forms in the city,” curator Aradhana Nagpal shares. If your children are inclined towards the arts, you might want to check out a specially-designed craft walk, which is part of the exhibit. Nagpal elaborates, “We will also organise two craft walks for children, offering them the opportunity to interact directly with the artists, whom we refer to as ‘craft-preneurs’. Many hail from Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana, Odisha, and West Bengal.” Through skill development and the provision of a platform, the project helps artisans build sustainable livelihoods. This exhibition is organised by Project Tarasha, in collaboration with craft community platform, Creative Dignity.
A participant studies a display of hand-crafted items at a previous edition of the exhibition
Art forms that will be showcased include Banjara embroidery, Lambada jewellery-making, Gond art, and copper bell crafting. “This year’s theme is nature. Each artisan brings a unique interpretation of the natural world, including through motifs like birds, animals, trees, and sea creatures, and even by utilising natural materials sourced from their surroundings,” Nagpal reveals. Of particular interest to children will be an interactive courtyard zone at the venue, she points out, which will host live and immersive demonstrations and performances — Lac doll-making of Odisha, the Ganjifa Dashavatar taash (a game of cards), Sohrai mud painting, and the Warli Tarpa dance, amongst others.
The process of making lac dolls and a finished lac doll
Children and adults will also be able to experience these craft processes via the craft walks. Visitors will be able to purchase pieces directly from the artists. “I want children to be sensitised to these types of arts. [In the present day] they barely have access to hands-on experiences that portray on-ground realities, talents, and the labour that goes into such art forms, but when you give them the chance, they jump at it,” Nagpal explains.
An artisan paints the Ganjifa cards used in Dashavatar Taash
She is particularly excited about the outreach for children. “They are the future. By exploring these thoughtfully created spaces, listening to artists from different places narrate stories behind their craft, and taking a piece of their work home, youngsters learn something truly invaluable about India’s cultural heritage,” Nagpal signs off.
Aradhana Nagpal
On January 10 and 11; 11.30 am to 12.30 pm (Children’s craft walks); January 9 to 11; 10 am to 7 pm (Exhibition)
AT The Vintage Garden, Patkar Bungalow, Bandra West.
Log on to @projecttarasha (to register)
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