A Peek into The Palkhi

Discovering The Palkhi’s store and its unique products

By: Aditi Iyer

The Palkhi is a business that provides locally made handicrafts by artisans around the country. It has products ranging from wall decor, kitchenware and toys to lighting, stationery and jewellery, all employing various art forms practised in India.

The Palkhi’s target audience is people aged 30 and above- and for the elder demographic, a trend has been noticed. People prefer to shop by physically going to a store to purchase a product- to see how it looks and feels in their hands. The Palkhi recognizes this, and to cater to all sections of its target demographic, you can find The Palkhi’s store in a tucked away corner of Erandwane, Kothrud.

How will you find the store? Well, you’re in luck- The Palkhi is available on Google Maps- finding us has never been easier. Enter the location, and you will be taken to a small, secluded lane away from all the traffic. Upon entering, you will be greeted with a bright orange board guiding you to the store. After entering the gate, you pass by a window that overlooks the office and kitchen of The Palkhi, giving you a peek into the store’s inner workings.

A sign near the cozy entrance of the building welcomes you to explore the Palkhi. You enter the building, coming face to face with a beautiful mural of pink flowers. A light dances in your peripheral vision- upon turning right, you are greeted by a room filled with bright, yellow lights, casting a golden glow in the hallway. You see Nakshatra Bhate, founder of The Palkhi, running about, and is enthusiastic about taking you around the store.

The store is filled to the brim with beautiful, eye-catching products, giving you a feeling that you absolutely have to see everything the store offers. The Palkhi has gorgeous, hand-woven baskets as your shopping basket. Tiny orange cards are placed all over the store, informing you from which state the products come. On your left, you see a range of items from floor to eye level. Products like wrought iron crafts, tea light holders and toys from Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh are on display.

Wall hangings and beautiful paintings are near the back of the store, with room to walk up to each product and adequately examine the intricate designs and techniques employed by the artisans. Moving on to the other side, you see products like lamps, storage boxes and wooden carvings. These items are from Pondicherry, Bihar Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal and Kashmir. The centre display has pieces from Tamil Nadu- idols, necklaces and bracelets, catching the eyes of everyone passing by.

As you visit the counter, Nakshatra is ready to help you complete your shopping experience, a basket of candies and chocolates keeping you company. A chance for last-minute purchases also presents itself- beautiful Meenakari earrings. You can pick up a business card on your way out to spread the word with your friends about The Palkhi, handcrafted with love, from artisan to customer.