Delhi Guide for a craft enthusiast
Visit
Museum / The National Crafts Museum homes a huge collection of everyday Indian crafts from terracotta to textiles, objects of wood to metal and antiques to live demonstrations. The museum is laid out like a village to put light on rural economies of the country and highlight the deep philosophy of a circular self reliant ecosystem that uses craft as a value system and not just a commodity. It also is special as it brings all the parts of a diverse country together under one roof. For any craft enthusiasts there is a lot to learn from this special collection along with spending time with inhouse artisans, shop at the souvenir store and get a bite at the regional food cafe lota.
Gallery/ DAG Delhi is also home to many small and large galleries, but Delhi Art Gallery continues to be a classic that one cannot miss when visiting the city. From modernists like Raja Ravi Verma to abstractionists like Gaitonde are represented by this reputed institution. For collectors, it also has a lovely art bookstore that one cannot escape buying from.
Heritage/ After a cultural morning at a museum and gallery, there is no better way to know the green city but to take a stroll at its central park equivalent , Lodhi Gardens that invites hundreds of species of birds and has trees almost a century old. Delhi has witnessed rise and fall of many empires since the middle ages, and one prominent dynasty was during the reign of Lodhi, a persian ruler from mid 1400s. The tomb architecture is still alive in these lovely gardens, and one can take a walk across the road to Safdarjung tomb as well for a further appreciation of the tombs( built in late 1700s).
Experience/ Life yoga is a newly opened holistic yoga and meditation center in Delhi's posh neighborhood Malcha Marg. Its unique approach to mindfulness yoga makes it approachable for all kinds of practitioners and the experience is further enhanced with the inhouse cafe Eleved.
Stay
Bungalow 99- A boutique home- stay styled with contemporary Indian home decor in defense colony, a green peaceful neighborhood in central Delhi with many cafe options around. Ideal for a stylish traveler who wants a local experience and may want to have an extended stay.
Imperial Hotel - Built in 1911 for the aristocrats, this is an iconic lutyen style hotel that offers luxurious suites and is popular with high end classic tasteful travelers.
Lodhi Hotel - For the savvy traveler that likes modern luxury in the heart of the city is stone throw away from the shopping district khan market and also offers the award winning fusion restaurant Indian Accent.
Shop
Vayu - curated by designer and aesthete Vivek Sahi, this one of a kind gallery style shop has a lovely selection of Indian textiles, objects, books, and small gifts from indie labels. Its location makes it even more special as it’s surrounded by three galleries at Bikaner house in central delhi.
CMYK Bookstore in GK2- For hoarders and collectors, this is the only bookstore one needs to visit for the best luxury lifestyle coffee table books.
Tulsi by Neeru Kumar and Shades of India by Mandeep Negi- While Delhi’s Khan market and Santushti complex have many stylish independent local designers both Neeru Kumar and Mandeep Negi are the OG’s when it comes to using Indian textiles in a versatile global way. They offer sophisticated cuts and contemporary surface applications for timeless womenswear clothing.
Kamala by Crafts council of India- This curated shop offers Indian crafts that are authentic, directly from artisans and ideal for gifts and souvenirs. Located right opposite the iconic bangla sahib gurudwara, all craft lovers could love the curation and can also browse the many state emporiums on the same street.
Eat
Chor Bizarre- Popular for its authentic kashmiri wazwan and mughal delicacies, the restaurant offers beyond curry and naan. I highly recommend this for any kebab lovers.
Eleved and Cafe lota - Ideal for breakfast and lunch, these regional cafes offer the best of the country’s local foods made with the best ingredients.
Devans Coffee - North India’s first south Indian coffee roastery and bar from the 1950's that continues to serve the best coffee to its local customers through three generations. When in Lodhi colony, one cannot skip this one!
Coast Cafe- For an ideal sunday brunch, this malabari cafe offers appams with coconut curries along with an array of chutneys.
Indian accent -Fusion michelin star level experimental restaurant that offers iconic dishes with a twist.
Locals
We also asked for recommendations by Urvashi Kaur and Rina Singh of Eka, local designers who work extensively with Indian handcrafted textiles and create beautiful contemporary clothing and have their boutiques in Delhi. Rina says ‘ I have lived in Delhi for many years and still go back to the same places to find inspiration like seeing artworks by modernists at the national gallery of modern art and exploring the old city via delhi heritage walks in winters is always fun’. While Urvashi who finds her at dastkar crafts mela every year to meet new and old artisans from around the country says ‘ I love to explore subcultures within this large city that is a melting pot of people who have moved from different parts and have opened local eateries and boutiques that are authentic like majnu ka tila that brings culture from the himalayas ot the city.’.