Envisioned as a treasure trove for artisanal gems from across the country, Swadesh’s 22,000-square-foot flagship store in Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad, lends itself to all kinds of dynamic endeavours. Housed within our doors is a meticulously curated collection — a mosaic of colours, textures, and stories, where each piece reflects the soul of its creator. These stories are as important to us as their physical manifestations, which is why we take great care to document and recount them in diversified formats. We know how much you value them too — which is why we set out to introduce Crafts & Conversations and Artful Evenings, our in-house series of events, aimed at connecting the dots within our community.

The first of its kind, themed An Ode to Handcrafted Wonders of India, took place in early December 2023. Jointly hosted with The Voice of Fashion, a digital portal with some of the most insightful industry takes, the evening offered layered anecdotes about Swadesh's rich collection of handmade creations. TVOF’s editor-in-chief, Shefalee Vasudev, engaged a distinguished audience through her walkthrough of our store, inviting members to share observations from their own experiences working within India’s crafts ecosystem. It was our pleasure to have fashion designer Anand Kabra, artiste Vidya Rao, painter Paresh Maity, fashion and textile designers Nachiket Barve, Ashdeen Z. Lilaowala, Peter D'ascoli, jewellery designer Niharika Singh Shekhawat, and Asaf Ali, co-founder of Kashmir Loom, as well as Rasika Takalkar of Pune’s Tvam Foundation attend this intimate gathering.

Mid-December saw our second edition, An Ode to Women and Their Contribution to Art & Culture, which marked a resounding tribute to the remarkable feminine influence in shaping India's artistic legacy. We were honoured to be in the company of art collector and author Anju Poddar, philanthropist Divya Reddy, FICCI Chairperson Ritu Shah, classical dancer Yamini Reddy, Fashion Yatra Founder Kamini Saraf, Neeraj Public School Founder Jyoti Reddy, Architect and CEO of Kishandas & Co. Pratiksha Prashant, art collector and Founder of Sancta Maria School Chaitanya Reddy, FICCI Ex-Chairperson Rekha Reddy, editor and author, Ratna Rao among others, who shared their inspiring stories.

The new year welcomed new guests and in January our store once again turned into a hub for creative convergence, bringing imminent architects and interior designers together. Themed Traditional Art in Modern India, we celebrated our dedication to age-old artforms whilst innovating for a contemporary context. Our expansive retail wonderland became a muse for industry members to envision new trailblazing projects. Connections thrived and meaningful alliances were formed. And finally, in February, we hosted Huma Bilgrami Latif, Asmita Marwa, Elahe Hiptoola and Aparna Roddam among others for our fourth edition. Our heartfelt appreciation goes out to all who have shaped the narrative of these events and enriched our collective experience.

Throughout it all, guests have been treated to culinary delights by our partner cafe, Sage Farm, led by Kavitha Mantha, whose locally-sourced and seasonal fare truly echoes our ethos. Sage Farm Cafe presents a menu that nurtures the diverse flavours of regional Indian cuisine and we couldn’t be happier to have them situated on our second floor. As we look forward to more such events in the near future, we sincerely hope to have you too along with us for the ride. Unravelling the essence of our homeland through a renewed passion for its age-old customs is a project of rediscovery that wouldn’t be the same without you.