Naimisam Earth Festival 2026 in Hyderabad Showcases Handlooms, Crafts and Sustainable Living
Padma Bhushan awardee Swapna Sundari, Honorary Advisor to the Naimisam Earth Festival, who also curated a key session exploring the relationship between culture, traditional knowledge, and ecological awareness, bringing depth and continuity to the conversations.
Hyderabad: The 3rd edition of the Naimisam Earth Festival organised by the J. Krishnamurti Centre, Hyderabad and Team Retro, witnessed the participation of over 70 non-governmental organisations, artisans, weavers, and community groups, displaying and sharing work related to handlooms, crafts, weaves, sustainable living practices, ecology, and conservation.
The 1-day festival drew a large and engaged public audience, with hundreds of children participating actively throughout the day held at Engineering Staff College of India (ESCI) Gachibowli.
Dr. Zelalem B. Taffesse, Chief Field Officer, UNICEF, as Chief Guest and Dr G.Rameshwar Rao, Director ESCI underscored the festival’s strong focus on children, future generations, and the deep links between environmental care and human wellbeing.
Padma Bhushan awardee Swapna Sundari, Honorary Advisor to the Naimisam Earth Festival, who also curated a key session exploring the relationship between culture, traditional knowledge, and ecological awareness, bringing depth and continuity to the conversations.
Handlooms, Crafts and Learning Zone
One of the most vibrant spaces at the festival was the Learning Zone, where more than 500 children engaged in hands-on activities such as weaving, natural dyeing, Cheriyal mask painting, seed-ball making, rock stacking, rangoli, and craft traditions. Parents and educators observed that these tactile experiences fostered calm, attention, curiosity, and a natural sense of responsibility towards the environment.
The Handlooms and Crafts Zone was another major highlight, with weavers and artisans from Siddipet, Pochampally, Narayanpet, and other handloom and Khadi clusters interacting directly with visitors. The festival encouraged conscious consumption through a simple pledge — “One Handloom. One Craft.” Many visitors chose to support plant-based, hand-woven textiles and traditional crafts, reinforcing the festival’s emphasis on dignity of labour and sustainable livelihoods.
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Voices of the Deccan talks
The “Voices of the Deccan” talks programme brought together environmentalists, educators, cultural practitioners, and community voices. The keynote address by Ridhima Pandey, internationally recognised climate petitioner and youth activist, highlighted the urgency of intergenerational climate responsibility. Panel discussions and presentations featured prominent speakers such as Suresh Heblikar covering themes ranging from the Deccan Plateau and forests to lakes, rocks, birds, crafts, and communities.
Cultural Zone drew large audiences
The evening Cultural Zone drew large audiences, with performances including a violin concert by Smt. Veena Math (courtesy Sur Mandal), cultural programmes by school children, songs from Bhadrachalam, and the colourful dance-theatre presentation “A Peaceful Movement” by Nayantara Nanda Kumar of Society to Save Rocks which reiterated that successful conservation today is globally a people movement. A Food Zone with distinct Deccan flavours offered visitors an opportunity to experience local, mindful food choices including vegan dishes.
Sustainability was practised across the festival through waste segregation, waste-exchange initiatives, plastic reduction, and water stewardship, reinforcing the idea that environmental responsibility is best learnt through participation.
