North 24 Parganas, West Bengal

Basirhat Handloom Shawls

Winter shawls handwoven in Basirhat, the district's leading handloom cluster, which registers over 500 artisans and around 50 self-help groups. Basirhat's weaver cooperatives produce pashmina-style shawls, crepe sarees and antique jamawar textiles on pit looms, and the town has long been the handloom supply point for the Kolkata hinterland. Government and weaver-body workshops continue to register new weavers across the ten blocks of the Basirhat subdivision. A buyer gets a soft, warm handwoven shawl with hand-finished edges at bazaar prices well below city retail.

Typical price: ₹300-1500

Buying tip: Look for hand-knotted or hand-finished borders and a weaver mark; winter bazaar season (October to February) is when stock and prices are best.