Dilli Haat

It’s built to feel like a village market. But unlike a real “haat,” this one never actually closes — it runs 365 days a year.

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ArtnCulture0152

Dilli Haat: A Village Market That Never Closes

An open-air craft bazaar built to cut out the middleman, and connect artisans directly to buyers.

1986

Dastkari Haat Samiti founded

By Jaya Jaitly, to support rural artisans directly.

Mar 1994

Dilli Haat (INA) opens

On 6 acres of reclaimed land, opposite INA Market.

2003

Wheelchair access added

Metro connectivity follows, by 2010.

Apr 2008

Pitampura Dilli Haat opens

A second Delhi location, spanning 7.2 hectares.

Aug 2013

Janakpuri Dilli Haat opens

A third location, extending the model across Delhi.

Rotation, not rent: No stall at Dilli Haat’s INA site belongs to any one seller. Registered artisans rotate through its 62 stalls for a maximum of 15 days each, at just Rs 100 a day — keeping the market constantly refreshed with craftspeople from across India.

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Timeline

• 1986: Jaya Jaitly founds the Dastkari Haat Samiti, to support rural artisans.
• March 1994: Dilli Haat opens at INA, on 6 acres of reclaimed land in South Delhi.
• 2003: Wheelchair accessibility is added at the venue.
• By 2010: Metro connectivity reaches the site.
• April 2008: A second Dilli Haat opens in Pitampura, spanning 7.2 hectares.
• August 2013: A third Dilli Haat opens in Janakpuri.

Must Know

• Dilli Haat (INA) opened in March 1994, on 6 acres of reclaimed land in South Delhi, opposite INA Market.
• It was jointly set up by Delhi Tourism (DTTDC), the New Delhi Municipal Corporation, and the Union Ministry of Textiles.
• Jaya Jaitly, who founded the Dastkari Haat Samiti in 1986, played a central role in conceiving Dilli Haat.
• It is modelled on traditional village “haats” (periodic markets). Unlike a real haat, it operates permanently, year-round.
• The INA site has 62 stalls, allocated rotationally to registered craftspeople from across India.
• It is a paid-entrance open-air market, managed by DTTDC.

Good to Know

• Artisans can occupy a stall for a maximum of 15 days, at a cost of Rs 100 per day.
• Only craftspeople registered with the Development Commissioner (Handicrafts) qualify for a stall. Allocation follows a state-wise rotation.
• Over 75,000 crafts producers have used Dilli Haat to sell directly to more than 2 million customers.
• Wheelchair accessibility was added around 2003. Metro connectivity followed, by 2010.
• Dilli Haat also hosts food stalls representing regional Indian cuisines, alongside its craft stalls.

Test Yourself

Please wait…

1. In which year did Dilli Haat (INA) open?

1994

1986

2003

2008

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Great to Know

• The Dilli Haat model has since been replicated at two more Delhi locations: Pitampura (April 2008, 7.2 hectares) and Janakpuri (August 2013).
• By cutting out middlemen, Dilli Haat lets artisans sell directly to buyers — the same philosophy behind Jaitly’s Dastkari Haat Samiti more broadly.
• It fits into a wider digital-plus-physical push for Indian crafts, alongside platforms like Indiahandmade. See ArtnCulture0134 — Indiahandmade.
• For the wider system of protections that support many of the same crafts sold here, see IndEco0082 — Geographical Indications (GI) Tags in India.
• Dilli Haat remains one of Delhi’s most visited tourist attractions, drawing both domestic and international visitors.