Mu🍸ltiple artisans gather at Dilli Haat from Himachal to blend age-old traditions with contemporary desig♚ns and sustainability.
In the remote reaches oꦐf Miyar valley in Lahual- Spiti situated in Himachal Pradesh's Western Himalayas, 55-year-old Rigzian Chhodin has single-handedly turned seabuckthorn, a resilient be🎃rry, into a lifeline for her community. Operating from the rocky and challenging terrain she has built a thriving enterprise around seabuckthorn that flourishes in the region's harsh climate.
What began as a one-woman home oไperation, has now transformed into an enterprise employing dozens of local women. In a world driven by mass production and synthetic substitutes, a handful of Himachali artisans are bringing new lif𝓰e into traditional crafts, blending sustainable practices with modern contemporary aesthetics.
The thorny plant requires careful handling and extensive manual labor, making the harvesting process particularly strenuous. Her entrepreneurial journey began forty years ago at age 15 when she made her first trip to Manali. It was there that she encountered berry jam for the first time, an experience that inspired her to begin her entrepreneurial career. Drawing inspiration from the visit,ꦉ including the simple yet effective packaging she observed in clear bottles, Chhodin returned home to create something similar with the abundant seabuckthorn growing in her region.
The venture, now operating under the brand name Kang La Basket—named after the famous Kang La Pass—produces a variety of products including jam, squash, and dried berry powder. Known for itജs health benefits, seabuckthorn products have become particularly valuable in her community, where traditional staples like tomatoes are scarce due to the region's challenging climate and limited transportation access.
Her journey to Dilli Haat took five days through steep terrains, stopping at Udaipur in Himachal Prades💯h. Despite pressure from her family to marry, Rigzian ch🙈ose a path on her own terms, calling herself “ mai apne ghar ki ek louti azad putri huin”(I am the only daughter in my house who is truly free). “If I would have been married, I would not have been here,” she said.
In 2019, the UNDP contacted her for her knowledge about the berry and ever since began assisting her with the making and packaging of her products, further amplifying her impact. Rigzian also creates poula, traditional Himachali slippers which has been the choice of footwear for her ancestors as well for the snowy-hill༺y terrain.
The vibranc✱y and colour of the various Himachali Stalls range from handcrafted teas to crochet toys and keychains designed with minute details. Curated by Design Consultant Akshita Sharma, a Himachꩲal native, speaking about the importance of such platforms, she states, “It is crucial to have state representation at the Centre level, but equally important for artisans to recognize their value and the worth of their products.”
A few stalls down the lane, Bharat Bhushan sits in his stall surrounded by wool garments hailing from the village of Naggar in Kullu. In charge of marketing for the brand, he speaks to Outlook describing the pandemic project of his brother, and their partner, Brighu Acharya and Nisha Subramaniam. What began as a pandemic project has grown into a global brand featured in Vogue magazine and collaborated with intern🎐ational labels like Amst🍸erdam-based Zazi Vintage and Germany’s Rani & Reine.
The brand works with local women who possess generation-old knitting skills. The small enterprise which started with just 16 women knitting from their homes has transformed into a 400 women operation. Kullv👍i Whims brought back the use of desi wool, naturally dyed with marigold flowers, pomegranate skins, and other organic materials, creating eco-friendly one of one-of-a-kind designs. Their products, ranging from sweaters priced at ₹5,000-9,000 to intricate wall hangings that cost up to ₹50,000, have gained admiration for thei✨r contemporary appeal while preserving traditional techniques.
One such wall hanging, displayed by Bharat, showcases the entire journey of wool—from the shepherd procuring it to dyeing and transportation. The brand has even created custom designs for the luxury label Good Earth. Recently, one of their weavers, Indira Devꩲi, recently won the top prize in the Innovative Craftsmanship category at the State Handloom and Handicrafts Excellence Awards 2025.
Representing Himachal Pradesh’s Buddhist populati𒆙on, Sonam Lama Tamang makes intricate detailed Thangka paintings. His artwork, priced between ₹500 and ₹3.5 lakh, features motifs me♏ticulously placed according to Buddhist mythology. For Sonam, these paintings are more than decorative—they are spiritual maps, deeply rooted in tradition.
Sonam aims to pass this legacy to his children, ensuring that the Buddhist artistic heritage of Himachal continues to live 🅷on.
The artisans at Himcraft represent the resilience and creativity of Himachal Pradesh’s communities. From sustainable woolens to seabuckthorn produ🅷cts a🥃nd Thangka paintings, their work is a witness to the richness of their culture and their commitment to preserving it.