Mysore/Mysuru: It’s the season of festivals and fairs, and adding a unique charm to this festive joy is a special collection of hand-crafted products, now right at the doorstep of Mysureans.

Providing a vibrant platform for this celebration is the JSS Mysore Urban Haat, located in the industrial area of Hebbal along the Ring Road.

Like every year, the Urban Haat has come alive with a unique exhibition, and this time it’s even more customer-friendly with a special handloom exhibition under one roof.

Running till Aug. 5, the State Handloom Exhibition and Sale — ‘Hathkargha Mela 2025’ — is being organised in collaboration with the Development Commissioner (Handlooms), Ministry of Textiles, New Delhi; the Department of Handlooms & Textiles, Government of Karnataka; Karnataka State Co-operative Handloom Weavers Federation Ltd.; and hosted by JSS Mysore Urban Haat. The expo will be open daily from 10 am to 9 pm. Entry is free.

The primary goal of this Handloom Expo is to provide greater market access to handloom weavers and Co-operative Societies, while also promoting their traditional skills and craftsmanship. One of the highlights of this expo is the availability of high-quality, unique traditional products at affordable prices, sold directly by weavers without any middlemen.

80 stalls

In total, over 80 stalls are open at the exhibition, bringing together the cultural richness of India’s handloom and handicraft traditions under one roof: Molakalmuru silk sarees from Chitradurga (available at stalls 5 and 9), which have become a crowd favourite.

Ilkal sarees from Gadag’s Saleshwara Handloom Weavers’ Cooperative Society, showcasing exquisite traditional craftsmanship; Authentic Kanchipuram silk sarees from Tamil Nadu are in high demand, especially at The Chenkumar Primary Handloom Weavers Co-op. Production & Sale Society Ltd., offering sarees, bed covers and more at affordable prices.

• Pure Banarasi silk sarees from Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, are also drawing large crowds.

• From Andhra Pradesh, Gadwal silk sarees, Kalamkari and Uppada sarees are on display at the Andhra Pradesh State Handloom Weavers Co-operative Society stall.

• Pashmina shawls from Kashmir are a major attraction for their premium quality.

• West Bengal stalls offer a variety of handloom silk sarees including Kantha work, Baluchari sarees, all at pocket-friendly rates.

• Assam’s Kunjalata Das stall features traditional silk sarees and handloom goods.

• Bhagirath Handloom Weavers from Rajasthan showcase beautifully handcrafted rugs, bedsheets and home décor items. Their live demonstrations of handloom weaving are a hit with visitors.

Additionally, embroidered bed sheets, towels, cushion covers and decorative crafts are also being sold — further enhancing the cultural and artistic appeal of the expo.

The blend of wearable art and home décor, all directly from the artisans and priced reasonably, makes the expo even more special.