Shilp Samagam Mela 2026 Under Way at Guwahati

The second Shilp Samagam Mela (SSM) of the current series is drawing thousands of visitors at Farm Gate, Khanapara, in Guwahati, the capital of Assam. The eight-day fair of traditional handicrafts and handloom products is an initiative of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment and is open to the public from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Dates and scale

The fair opened on 21 October and will run until Wednesday, 28 October. A total of 75 artisans, of whom 31 are women, are taking part, displaying roughly 40 varieties of handloom and handicraft products. Visitors also watch traditional music and dance performances by artists from the North-Eastern States.

Who the fair is for

Shilp Samagam Mela gives marketing support to artisans and beneficiaries linked to the ministry's three national corporations: NSFDC, the finance and development corporation for the Scheduled Castes; NSKFDC, which works for Safai Karamcharis; and NBCFDC, the corporation for the Backward Classes. Guided by the principle of 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas', it works for the economic empowerment of artisans from the Scheduled Castes, the Other Backward Classes, Safai Mitras and the Denotified Tribes.

The BHARAT-TULIP push

A central focus of the Guwahati edition is BHARAT-TULIP, the Traditional Artisans' Upliftment Livelihood Programme, which helps market the products of these target groups through physical outlets and e-commerce platforms. By opening wider markets and digital channels, the programme aims to strengthen market linkages, widen customer outreach and raise artisans' earnings, while keeping traditional crafts in circulation among changing consumer markets.

Where the series stands

This is the second mela of the Shilp Samagam Mela series being held in the financial year 2026-27. The first edition closed in Mysuru, Karnataka, on 19 October after nine days at the Dasara Exhibition Ground, also with thousands of visitors. In Guwahati, artisans from the North-Eastern States are showing their work alongside those from other parts of the country, so visitors see crafts from several regions in one place.

Why it matters

The fair lets artisans sell directly to customers, meet prospective buyers and widen their market reach without a middleman, which the ministry links to entrepreneurship and steadier livelihoods. It also spreads awareness of the welfare, financial assistance and development schemes run by the ministry and its three corporations, pairing credit and development support with market-facing help.