Union Minister of Textiles Shri Giriraj Singh inaugurated Handloom Haat: The Handloom Experience Centre at Janpath, New Delhi on August 14, 2026. The facility brings together India's handloom heritage, knowledge, contemporary design, enterprise and retail under one roof. The inauguration was attended by Smt. Neelam Shami Rao, Secretary, Textiles and Dr. M. Beena, Development Commissioner (Handlooms).
The inaugural showcase featured 24 award-winning weavers through an exhibition organized by the National Handloom Development Corporation (NHDC), alongside over 30 curated brands participating through Weave The Future 5.0. The fifth edition of Weave The Future brought together weavers, designers, brands, researchers and other stakeholders, showcasing sustainable, circular and craft-led approaches to textiles. The showcase featured contemporary products developed through handloom and regenerative materials, with focus on indigenous fibres, material innovation and responsible textile practices.
The retail experience at Handloom Haat extends beyond conventional shopping, offering visitors an opportunity to discover the diversity, quality and contemporary relevance of Indian handlooms. Minister Singh stated that "Handloom Haat will create greater visibility and market opportunities for weavers and handloom enterprises."
The three-floor facility offers a multi-layered handloom experience: The ground floor features a temporary exhibition "Reimagining Odisha Weaves, Cloth, Craft, Creativity, Community" by Vriksh Designs, showcasing lesser-known Odisha traditions such as Ganjam Bomkai and Dhalapathar Tapestry. The first floor features the permanent Visvakarma Gallery bringing together rare textiles from the landmark Visvakarma exhibition series (1981 to 1991) and pays tribute to Sant Kabir awardees and Padma Shri awardees. The second floor featured the Design Conclave and an immersive experience inspired by India's forests and natural motifs found across the country's diverse handloom traditions.