Dilli Haat

Dilli Haat opened in 1994 as a way of putting village craftspeople in front of city buyers without shop rent or middlemen: stalls in a landscaped open-air compound are allotted to artisans from across India for a fortnight at a time and then rotate, so the mix of textiles, metalwork, basketry, leather, jewellery and carving changes constantly and the seller is often the maker. A row of food stalls runs state cuisines alongside, from Ladakhi momos to Bengali fish, and a small stage carries folk performances. Two more sites at Pitampura and Janakpuri follow the same model.

History

Dilli Haat was set up jointly by Delhi Tourism, the city government and the national ministries of textiles and tourism, and opened in March 1994. Around 2003 the market became fully wheelchair accessible, a second Dilli Haat followed at Pitampura, and in February 2011 India's first comic convention, Comic Con India, was held here (Wikipedia, Dilli Haat).

What you'll find

• The rotating craft stalls - artisans from different states every fortnight.
• The state food stalls - regional kitchens side by side along one row.
• The performances - folk music and dance on the small stage.
• The direct selling - makers rather than shopkeepers behind most stalls.

When to go

October to March; the market is open air and Delhi summers are hard. Evenings are liveliest. Weekends are crowded. Which crafts are present depends entirely on the fortnight.

Things to know

Prices are higher than at village markets and bargaining is expected. Some stalls are traders rather than makers. Food stalls are variable and the site can feel dated.

Nearby

INA market lies across the road; Lodhi Gardens is northeast.

Key facts