Bhimthadi Jatra to celebrate fashion in Pune

By

Isabelle Crossley

Published
Dec 13, 2017

​From December 22 to 25, Bhimthadi Jatra will take place in Pune, featuring a fashion segment for the first time since it started in 2006.

Pune’s Bhimthadi Jatra is a rural fair that has run annually for over a decade. The festival is known for its food and handicrafts and flea market but this year the spotlight will shine on fashion. The fashion feature is called Bhimthadi Select and will comprise a section of 20 stalls dedicated to designers, artisans, and crafts people who work with sustainable materials to create garments and accessories.

Bhimthadi Select is curated by the fashion designer Pallavi Dutta who chose the brands that will be featured and also drove the sustainability angle of the fair. “We would like to help supplement the income of farmers, who are usually forgotten in the hustle of everyday life. India is a country with a wide canvas of creativity and through Bhimthadi Jatra, we would like to promote that,” explained Dutta. “Designers and NGOs from urban areas have worked in collaboration with artisans from villages, assisting them with technical know-how and finances to create these handloom products. Each one is different from the other. These designers are from all over the country, giving the event a Pan Asia flavour,” Dutta elaborated.

This year, along with aiming to bridge the gap between rural and urban areas in India, the Bhimthadi Jatra also aims to promote sustainable and eco-friendly fashion. A variety of traditional and western garments will be displayed and available for the public to shop and attention will be drawn to the often marginalised female artisans who produce these pieces.

The Bhimthadi Jatra was started in 2006 in Pune by the Agricultural Development Trust and also features local cuisine, animals, and music performances. On December 23, the Raju Dixit Project will perform live music and a petting zoo will be set up for children.