Agamani: Pre-Durga Puja Expo 2026 at Dilli Haat
Agamani: Pre-Durga Puja Expo 2026 at Dilli Haat --- A Celebration of Bengali Handicrafts, Culture & Durga Puja
If you are a Bengali living outside Bengal, whether in Delhi or anywhere else in the world, you will, almost unwittingly and inevitably, find yourself seeking out places, people, markets, and festivities that connect you to your Bengali culture and roots. No matter how far you travel or how long you stay away, there is always a part of you that yearns for that familiar touch of home. This year, I learned about the Pre-Puja Expo in September, just a few days before the much-awaited celebration of Durga Puja. And, quite naturally, I couldn't resist the temptation to visit. The event was held from 18th to 30th September.
Late September in Delhi is usually quite pleasant, with occasional spells of rain and the sun playing hide-and-seek behind the clouds. As you step into the expo, you are almost instantly enveloped by the unmistakable air of Bengal. Familiar voices mingle in the background, sellers and buyers conversing in the same beloved dialect, their words carrying the warmth and intimacy of a world you thought you had left behind. And suddenly, for a fleeting yet beautiful moment, you no longer feel so far away from your motherland. Bengal is not merely a place on the map; it lives within you, quietly tucked away in the folds of your heart, waiting for a moment of recognition, a familiar voice, a fleeting scent, or perhaps just a whisper to awaken it.
If you are an artist, or simply someone with an artist's heart, you may find yourself looking at the creations far more than their price tags. You become absorbed in their beauty, the intricate details, the colours, the textures, and the sheer imagination that transforms ordinary materials into something extraordinary. Some pieces are undoubtedly overpriced, and one has every right to bargain. Yet somewhere along the way, I often feel we overlook what it takes to create a work of art. Behind every artefact or painting are hands that have crafted, moulded, carved, sharpened, and polished with patience, dedication, and passion. Hours of toil, moments of doubt, and an artist's quiet devotion are embedded in every finished piece.
As I wandered past the stalls, I came across shops displaying exquisite pieces of handmade jewellery—nose pins, bracelets, amulets, bangles, necklaces, rings, earrings, hairpins, and so much more. Each piece seemed to carry a story of its own: the hands that lovingly crafted it, and the hands that would eventually adorn themselves with it. The journey connecting the maker to the wearer is nothing short of magical, perhaps even a little mysterious.
I couldn't help but wonder how an artist from a far-flung corner of Bengal, such as Nadia or Uttarpara, travelled all the way to Delhi to share their creations with someone from that very same land, yet now calling another place home. Two lives, separated by distance but bound by a shared heritage, meeting through something as delicate and beautiful as a piece of handmade jewellery. Isn't there something quietly magical about this? Perhaps life does come full circle after all—sometimes through a familiar voice, sometimes through a chance encounter, and sometimes through a little piece of art that carries within it the soul of the land we both call home.
Besides jewellery, there were stalls overflowing with sarees—Dhakai, Jamdani, Taant, Tussar silk, Bishnupuri, block-printed, handwoven, and hand-stitched—each carrying its own charm, artistry, and timeless elegance, all gathered under the same roof at Dilli Haat. For Bengali women, adorning themselves in sarees during Durga Puja is an age-old tradition, woven deeply into the cultural and emotional fabric of the celebration. Draped in its flowing folds, a woman seems to embody and reflect the divine feminine energy of Ma Durga.
And then, there was terracotta pottery and jewellery. I was fascinated by the artistry with which ordinary kitchen utensils and other everyday objects were shaped out of natural clay, and by the sheer variety of forms, designs, and shapes displayed in the open. Terracotta literally means 'baked earth' — a beautiful expression of the art of transforming earth into something extraordinary! Rooted in age-old traditions, terracotta carries the rustic charm of Bengal, reflecting the intimate relationship between nature, craftsmanship, and culture.
As I ambled further, there was still so much more to discover—wooden combs, spoons in an assortment of shapes and sizes, jewellery made from cloth pieces, silver ornaments, pearls, precious stones, jute bags, shawls, Patachitra, and a myriad of other treasures. Patachitra(also spelt Pattachitra) is a traditional Indian art form in which artists paint intricate pictures and tell stories on cloth or other prepared surfaces. The word comes from the Sanskrit patta, meaning cloth or canvas, and chitra, meaning picture.
So, the next time you are around here in Delhi, or you happen to stay in the Delhi NCR Region, do give it a try and come to this place for a memorable experience, to soak in the rhythm of pujo fervour.
"HAPPY DURGA PUJO TO ALL !!!"
"Autumn has already
made its way in,
and the essence of Sharad
can be heard in the
beats of the dhaak and
felt in the fragrant swirls
of the dhunuchi smoke"
By Nandini Sengupta
@metaphors_of_life
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