India's first luxury handicrafts mall, The Kunj, an initiative by the Ministry of Textiles, is where you need to be this festive season to not only shop but savour the depth our culture embodies through its arts, crafts and importance of craftsmanship. As you enter the space, you are greeted by a beautiful sculptural installation hanging down the ceiling with sarees draped with utmost precision, with geometric folds inspired by structured Ragas of classical music and free-flowing folk music lyrics. It is called 'The 100 Sarees Project' by Ankon Mitra, and you will find a descriptive note telling you all about it (along with the names of the artisans who worked on it) right beside the P Tal store.
Just like this spatial installation, you will find plenty more weaving into the space, the essence of our culture's artistic treasures. Be it the 'Illuminated India' wall with different handcrafted diyas from across the country, or the handcrafted garden where one can have a field day (pun intended) with giant cloth flowers all around. Oh, and don't miss the Karigar Sangam Hall that honours Shilp Gurus and National Awardees with their pictures encased in beautiful handloom wrapped frames. And this is not even the end, you will find artisans live at work— weaving, shaving, sculpting and stimulating a sense of pride in you for what all this country's vibrant crafts offer. Additionally, there will also be different art showcases, performances and regional culinary offerings to add to your experience. And be sure to follow their IG page for more updates on these.
As far as shopping is concerned, The Kunj is a gold mine for copping homegrown brands. From P Tal's beautiful terracotta store with exquisite brass kitchenware to Iro Iro's conscious, zero-waste clothing to Boriya Basta's eclectic bags and footwear reviving Khairabad's cotton khilm artistry and Me Maraki spotlighting the long forgotten art forms. Whether you are looking for fashion, home decor, lifestyle products or just knick-knacks to elevate your space (and mood), your retail wishes will be fulfilled here.
Mixing a sense of modernity with tradition, this is the place you should take your NRI cousins to when you want to showcase a piece of what all the beautification this country offers. It's experiential, well-curated and not slow, feeling like museums, so trust us when we say, you will not be zoned out at all.
Since the space is new, you will not find it swamped with crowds. It's pretty near DLF Promenade and Ambience Mall, Vasant Kunj, so you can definitely plan a shopping spree if you feel like.
Timings: 11 AM - 8 PM
Google Rating: 4.8/5
Entry Fees: Free
Social Media: @thekunj_newdelhi
