Delhi govt's show 'Vastra Katha' from Aug 6 to showcase handlooms in new light

New Delhi, Jul 15 (PTI) From Assam's Monga handloom to Meghalaya's GI-tagged handloom silk and Kantha Silk of West Bengal to Gujarat's Patola, the Delhi government will hold a show themed 'Vastra Katha' to showcase handlooms in a new light.
     The show, which will be held at Hotel Ashoka on August 6, a day before the National Handloom Day, will be organised by the Delhi Khadi and Village Industries Board (DKVIB).
     Leading fashion designers Rahul Mishra, Sanjay Garg, Surekha Jain, Rina Dhaka and Pernia Qureshi will also participate to lend creative strength to the handloom cause, said Delhi Industries Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa.
     "The show will be in two segments -- there will be an exhibition where various states will be showcasing their handlooms and we will also showcase the history of khadi, that it has been used since Vedic culture," he said.
     The event will blend tradition, sustainability and youth-led innovation through a curated exhibition, GI-tagged textiles and a fashion ramp walk themed on the Vedic civilisation.
     "We are bringing in long-overdue reforms to make DKVIB sustainable by the end of this year and profitable by 2026. The government had already allocated Rs 50 crore for skilling and capacity-building in the handloom sector, and now we are complementing that with platforms like Vastra Katha to create livelihood and visibility for artisans," he shared.
     The highlight of the Vastra Katha event will be a 24-stall exhibition, showcasing rare, GI-tagged handloom sarees and fabrics from across India, including Monga Silk from Assam, Pochampally and Gadwal from Telangana, Kanchipuram Silk from Tamil Nadu, Chanderi and Maheshwari from Madhya Pradesh, Kasavu from Kerala, Patola from Gujarat, Kantha from West Bengal and Bunkai Silk from Odisha among many others.
     Every stall will represent the unique textile identity of a state or Union Territory, while a fashion ramp walk will reinterpret these handlooms through a modern lens — with the participation of professional designers, fashion models and student fashion clubs, he said.
     More than 150 students from top Delhi colleges, including Miranda House, Lady Shri Ram College, Hindu College, GTB Khalsa College, Guru Gobind Singh College and Pearl Academy, will be actively involved in curating exhibits and walking the ramp in handloom wear.
     Sirsa underlined the environmental urgency of the initiative.
     "The fashion industry is a major contributor to global warming. On the other hand, handloom is rooted in nature, made without natural products and supports rural livelihoods — especially for women. Handloom isn't just heritage — it's climate action with culture," he added.
     The minister thanked Chief Minister Rekha Gupta for her continued support to DKVIB and its revival roadmap.
     The event aims to establish Vastra Katha as an annual flagship of Delhi, turning DKVIB into a model board for artisan welfare, sustainable fashion and economic resilience.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)