The 2026 edition of Kausalyam, organised by the Crafts Council of Telangana (CCT), will be held in Hyderabad on July 15 and 16. Conducted once in five years, the initiative goes beyond being a marketplace for handcrafted textiles and accessories sourced from craft clusters across India. 

The event will feature cultural performances in the form of an English-Telugu leather puppetry performance titled Sita Anveshana, and Virata Parvam, a Cheriyal scroll storytelling that will be enhanced through Augmented Reality.

Visitors can also browse through a curated collection at a special Museum of Textiles, a display that will highlight the artistry, history and evolution of textile traditions. 

The CCT organises Kausalyam in collaboration with textile designer Gaurang Shah, and will bring together handcrafted products from more than 74 artisan enterprises, textile studios, designers and collectors from across the country. 

The two-day event will also host conversations with craft entrepreneurs. The participants include Rohit Naag from Nolwa Studios that focuses on bidri craft, Geethica Naidu of Ame Design who specialises in mulberry silks and is a design executive with Karnataka-based company Himatsingka Seide, Richa Maheshwari of label Boito who reimagines traditional Odisha crafts and weaves into contemporary heirloom-worthy garments.

According to CCT, funds raised through Kausalyam will go towards the revival of the Bharoon embroidery cluster, among other initiatives. The Bharoon cluster is known for its embroidery tradition rooted in the Sindhi craft heritage. The hand embroidery technique has vibrant motifs and is largely sustained by women artisans. The revival initiative by CCT is aimed at preserving this endangered craft tradition while creating sustainable livelihood opportunities for artisan families.

(Kausalyam 2026 will be held at Anvaya Convention, Financial District, Hyderabad. The event will begin on July 14 evening. On July 15 and 16, the event is open to everyone from 10am to 7pm. Entry is free.)