More than 170 women-led self-help groups from across Rajasthan are showcasing handmade products and livelihood enterprises at Amrita Haat, a ten-day exhibition being held at Jaipur’s Jawahar Kala Kendra from October 11 to 20.
The event features products ranging from handmade crochet items and natural self-care products to sea buckthorn-enriched juice and flowers made from corn husk. The exhibition also offers participating groups a sales platform without charging stall rent, allowing women entrepreneurs to display their work and reach customers directly.
Among the participants is 44-year-old Seema Khatri from Pawanpuri in Bikaner, who is presenting products under her Aayushi Herbals brand. Khatri began with two bottles of hair oil after her daughter fell ill and has since developed a range of 10 natural self-care products. She is now the sole earning member of her family, supporting three children and a husband described in the report as a habitual drinker.
Khatri’s products include sea buckthorn-enriched juice. Her participation illustrates how small-scale enterprises displayed at the exhibition are linked to household income and survival, rather than functioning only as craft showcases. The report noted burn scars on her hands and neck, which reflected her experience of childhood abuse and domestic violence.
The exhibition also features younger entrepreneurs using contemporary designs to expand traditional craft markets. Twenty-six-year-old Khemshri from Tonk makes crochet products including curtain ties inspired by Vincent van Gogh’s paintings and spectacle cases featuring the evil-eye motif. She has developed a network of small artists and expanded sales across Rajasthan.
In Udaipur’s Bhinder block, Bhawar Devi leads a self-help group involving 13 tribal women. The group produces hand-stitched jackets and shirts, with Devi and her specially abled daughter jointly managing sales. Profits from the enterprise are divided equally among the participating women.
Another story at the exhibition comes from Jodhpur, where 81-year-old Laxmi Ramawat started an achar and papad business after losing her son and husband. The enterprise, which began during a period of personal hardship, now supports 55 women.
Together, the stalls show the range of activities being pursued through women-led self-help groups: food processing, natural products, textiles, crochet and other handmade goods. They also show how access to a physical market in a major city can connect producers from districts and blocks across Rajasthan with urban consumers.
By waiving stall rent, Amrita Haat reduces one direct cost for participating groups while giving them space to present products, tell their stories and build sales networks. The exhibition remains open at Jawahar Kala Kendra through October 20.
