Wrapping up

A few hours, couple of chuskis and a tonn of food later, it was time for us to say goodbye to The Dilli Haat. We had a camera full of pictures but what was more important were the memories we were taking back. Walking in the scorching heat, we didn't realize when the reluctant us became the passionate us. The excitement took over and we ended up falling in love with The Dilli Haat. From food and fabrics, to handicraft and heritage, this place, located in the heart of the country definitely deserves a special recognition.    

                            

Textiles

The Dilli haat housed many different textiles and techniques from all over India. From Karnataka, where dyeing and weaving of silk is pre-eminent to Rajasthan where the dyeing of cotton with indigo is long established craft, to the ajrakh work of produced in Kutch and the Pashmina shawls of Kashmir, the Haat had it all. (Arts and crafts of India by Barnard, Nicholas)

Silver Jwellery

In many states traditional silver jwellery is of a high grade and acts as a form of portable currency, identity and prestige. By means of die-stamping and chasing, the village silversmith is able to fashion a tremendous variety of precious jwellery for the women of the community. With Indo western trends coming up, silver jwellery has now become a major part of every urban girl’s collection as well. The Haat Had at display a wide variety of silver jwellery in the form of rings, bangles, jhumkas, etc.(Arts and crafts of India by Barnard, Nicholas)

Madhubani Paintings

The creative skills of the craftsmen and women of the lands around the settlement of Madhubani in north Bihar are renowned. Dilli haat too, had at display a wide variety of Madhubani paintings which were not just an aspect of the aesthetic scene but also showed a great deal of hard work and craftsmanship that takes years to perfect.(Arts and crafts of India by Barnard, Nicholas)

  

Lac Bangles

No shopping place is complete without jwellery and so Dilli Haat also Had a wide variety of it. A prominent jwellery item visible there was lac bangles.These bangles are considered an auspicious sign of suhaag or marriage by women, cutting across caste and community lines. Muslim artisans from Rajasthan who migrated to other regions around 1947 are credited to have brought the craft to Bihar and other parts of North India. These bangles were a recurring attraction at the Dilli Haat telling us about their pan India demand and popularity. (Arts and crafts of India by Barnard, Nicholas)

Food

Dilli Haat is the place to be for any food lover.

The place was filled with cuisines from all over the subcontinent. It had something from almost every state, momos from Sikkim, dhokla from Gujarat, Bamboos hot chicken from Nagaland, Kahwa and kebabs from Kashmir and much more.

                                                                                                                 

Brief History

The Dilli Haat was set up as a joint project of Delhi tourism and Transportation Development Corporation(DTTDC) and New Delhi Municipal Corporation(NDMC). The purpose was to get rid of the middlemen and let artisans sell their products directly to Indian and foreign buyers. It is a great concept for craft revival and facilitates many craftsmen all over the country to bring down their indigenous crafts to the country’s capital. (http://www.delhievents.com/2007/12/dilli-haat-ina.html)

Changed opinions

A few hours into the trip, and we all came out with changed opinions. 
A city's street markets are a reflection of its culture. More specifically, The Dilli Haat which is an open air fare located right opposite to the INA metro station, gives us an insight, as to how this city functions. It’s full of hustle and bustle and it accommodates many different cultures. the traditional Haat originated as an impermanent village market that is either set up on certain days or moves from one place to another but the contemporary urban Haats in India are seen as a cultural oasis where craftsmen, artisans, merchants and artists from all over the country assemble.(http://www.bgaurav.com/blog/portfolio/culture-of-haats/)

4 Girls on a mission

One fine sunny day, 4 girls decided to visit The Dilli Haat as part of a class assignment. With heavy hearts and sleep deprived eyes, we reached the Haat. But what began as a college field trip ended up being one of the most fruitful experiences of our lives.