India Highlights

India is a country of great diversity, a strong cultural identity, a fascinating history and of vast geographical scale. Possibly no other country has its religions so intertwined with every aspect of life. Home to a large number of the world’s economically poor, it has an amazing array of traditional crafts skills and consequently is a major source of crafts products for Traidcraft.

In Delhi and Agra we visit Tara Projects and their crafts workshops and visit the Taj Mahal and the spectacular Red Fort. In the southern state of Kerala we visit NAPCL, Traidcraft’s supplier of pineapple, papaya and stem ginger. We also take the opportunity to explore the old port of Cochin, a strategic centre for spice trade for centuries and enjoy the beautiful canals and lagoons of the backwaters by hand-poled narrow boat. Set against the Hooghly River and a backdrop of strong colonial architecture, the strong Bengali culture makes Kolkatta a great place to explore - it is rightly described by some as a city with a soul.

Visits to India's spectacular temples and the opportunity to get to know the people behind fair trade provide you with a unique insight into this fascinating country.

Photos: Malcolm Owen, Michael & Hilary Evans, Dave Bennett, Rajendra Shaw