🇮🇳 Grand Festival of Indian Crafts 125+ Master Artisans Come to Kochi
More than 125 master artisans from 25+ Indian states, traditional handlooms, jewellery, home décor, antiques, live craft demonstrations, regional food and music - Kochi is getting a major celebration of Indian craftsmanship this October. 🇮🇳✨
The Indian crafts festival in Kochi - Grand Festival of Indian Crafts - will be presented by The Indian Artisans Haat (TIAH) from October 2 to 11.
It is the first major TIAH festival of its kind in Kochi, bringing traditional crafts and their makers from across India together under one roof.
🛍 125+ master artisans 🗺 25+ Indian states
📅 October 2–11, 2026
📍 Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium, Kaloor, Kochi
🧵 What Will You Find?
The organisers promise a broad showcase of India's craft traditions:
Handlooms - handwoven textiles and garments representing regional weaving traditions.
Handicrafts - handmade work in wood, metal, ceramics, textiles and other materials.
Antiques & artefacts - traditional and decorative objects.
Home décor - handcrafted pieces for interiors.
Sustainable crafts - products focusing on natural materials and traditional, resource-conscious techniques.
GI-tagged crafts - products whose identity and traditional production are linked to a particular geographical region and protected through India's Geographical Indication system.
In other words, this is a chance to explore many different Indias within a single festival.
👐 Watch the Crafts Being Made
One of the more interesting parts of the programme is the promised live craft demonstrations by master artisans.
Rather than seeing only a finished object on a shelf, visitors can watch some of the techniques and processes behind traditional Indian craftsmanship.
Previous editions of The Indian Artisans Haat have featured live demonstrations alongside direct sales by participating craftspeople.
🛍 Yes, You Can Shop Too
TIAH works as both a cultural exhibition and an artisan marketplace.
Previous editions have featured weavers, jewellers, woodworkers, painters, ceramic makers and craft communities selling their products directly to visitors.
So if you are looking for something more meaningful than a standard souvenir shop, this is a good place to explore.
🎶 More Than a Craft Fair
The Kochi edition also promises:
🎶 live Rajasthani music 🍛 flavours from across India 👐 live craft demonstrations 🛍 handmade products from across the country
That makes it less of a conventional exhibition and more of a cultural marketplace where craft, food and music come together.
🏺 About The Indian Artisans Haat
The Indian Artisans Haat (TIAH) is a platform built around bringing India's craftspeople, weavers and traditional craft communities directly to audiences. Recent editions in Bengaluru brought together artisans from 25 states, showcasing everything from handlooms and jewellery to wooden crafts, paintings, pottery and home décor.
📍 The Venue
The festival takes place at Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium in Kaloor, one of Kochi's major event venues.
It is located in the urban part of Kochi rather than Fort Kochi, so it makes sense to plan the festival as a dedicated outing rather than adding it casually to a Fort Kochi walk.
💡 Our Tip
If you are visiting India and want to discover craftsmanship beyond Kerala alone, this is worth saving. Give yourself at least 2–3 hours rather than treating it as a quick shopping stop. Watch the artisans work, explore different regional traditions, grab something to eat - and only then decide what you actually want to take home.
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