Meerut Khadi Festival Opens With Traditional Products From Across India

Uttar Pradesh Khadi festival begins in Meerut

Rajya Sabha Member Dr. Laxmikant Bajpayee and other public representatives inaugurated the Khadi Festival and Exhibition in Meerut on Saturday (October 18, 2026). The representatives toured the exhibition and felicitated traders participating from different states.

Organised by the Uttar Pradesh Khadi and Village Industries Board, the ten-day exhibition brings together traditional Indian products, handicrafts, textiles and indigenous goods from different parts of the country. It includes Khadi garments, Banarasi silk sarees, warm clothes, Kashmiri shawls, dry fruits, crockery and several other traditional items.

Products from different regions

Visitors can explore brass products from Moradabad, Kantha embroidery from West Bengal, silk products from Banaras, bedsheets from Pilkhuwa and wooden handicrafts from Saharanpur. Khadi institutions from various regions of Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and Bihar have also established stalls at the exhibition.

These stalls display a diverse range of handwoven textiles and indigenous products, giving the exhibition a regional character beyond Khadi garments alone. The wider collection also includes stoles, handicrafts, herbal products, home décor items and other region-specific traditional goods.

Shishir Singh, Chief Executive Officer of the Uttar Pradesh Khadi and Village Industries Board, said visitors could explore products from the participating regions and institutions. Singh also said the exhibition had been organised during the festive season, when visitors could find products suited to Durga Puja, Dussehra, Dhanteras and Diwali.

“with the festive season underway, the exhibition offers a wide range of products suited to celebrations such as Durga Puja, Dussehra, Dhanteras and Diwali. From traditional clothing and home décor to handcrafted decorative items, wooden artefacts, brassware and other festive essentials, the exhibition provides visitors with an opportunity to shop for unique, locally produced goods while supporting traditional artisans and small entrepreneurs,” Singh said.

Gandhi Pavilion highlights Khadi’s legacy

A Gandhi Pavilion has been established at the centre of the exhibition. It features a spinning wheel highlighting the legacy of Mahatma Gandhi and the importance of Khadi in India’s freedom movement.

The pavilion places the products on display within the larger cultural and historical context associated with Khadi. The initiative also aims to connect Khadi with India’s cultural heritage while encouraging self-reliance and supporting local artisans under the vision of “Vocal for Local.”

Khadi exhibitions are organised across Uttar Pradesh to promote traditional industries, generate employment opportunities and provide market access to entrepreneurs associated with village industries. The Meerut exhibition similarly offers a platform for products linked to rural enterprise, handwoven textiles and regional craftsmanship.

By bringing together goods from different states and regions, the exhibition provides visitors an opportunity to celebrate India’s craftsmanship while contributing to the growth of the rural economy, according to the stated objectives of the initiative.

Source: The Hindu