This Diwali, there is a cornucopia of handcrafted gift options across a range of materials and makers, be it drinkware, dining or décor. We have scoured Indian studios across India, across a spectrum of price points, processes and provenance, to pick the most unique objects that go beyond the usual suspects on overcrowded festival must-have lists.
Dining
Marble Inlay Platters
Kaunteya, Indore
The Byah marble inlay cheese platter is crafted using the centuries-old art of intarsia (where multi-hued materials are cut and fitted together to form a picture) adorned with intricate Phad wedding motifs, in black, white, red and gold. Details: kaunteya.in Price:₹11,580
Heavenly Bodies Oval Platter
Khanoom, Jaipur
Each piece is hand-painted by artists specialising in miniatures. Then 24-carat gold lustre is applied and fired to give that extra bit of celestial sparkle. Details: @khanoom.jaipur on Instagram Price: ₹12,500 upwards
Dancing Doll Platters
Arttd’inox, Gurugram
The Dancing Doll collection brings thoughtfully designed crockery, using the motif of the dancing girl. The range includes chip-and-dip serveware and a two-tier platter for serving sweets, savouries or flowers. Details: arttdinox.com Price: ₹3,990
Decor
Digit
Shed, Surat
This year-agnostic calendar is built in wood marquetry (teakwood, shirish wood, shisham, sevan wood, maple wood, badaami wood, purpleheart wood) so light hits each surface with one bright, one in half-shade, one in shadow. Each stone triangle (crafted from green Kesariyaji marble, white Makrana marble, red sandstone, yellow sandstone, black Kadappa stone, pink Makrana marble, Katni stone, lapis lazuli, green jade, Ghazni stone, grey Kota stone, yellow jasper) is a sandwich: a magnet set between two slices of colourful stone. This collectible is a slow-living calendar where the names of the months and days are printed on the amber-hued stone triangles, while each green-and-white stone triangle denotes a day when placed on the magnetic grid. Details: outoftheshed.shop Price: ₹36,000
Deepa Candle Stand
CollektKlove, New Delhi
The candle stand mirrors the gopuram of South Indian temples, imagined in tinted blown glass with metal accents. This piece boasts a contemporary silhouette, harmonising simplicity with symbolism. Details: collektklove.com Price: ₹30,000
Cheshire II Vase
Chorus, Mumbai
Crafted in bamboo, organic cotton thread and raffia, this is part of a series of collectible vases celebrating tactile sculptural forms that reinterpret traditional matting and basketry, using raffia (Raphia farinifera) and bamboo (Bambusa vulgaris) as media. These materials embrace organic fluidity as a counterpoint to forced uniformity. Details: chorusworld.com Price: ₹1,25,500
Chettinad Rice Sifters
HB Studio, Chennai
Traditionally used in Chettinad homes, these leaf-shaped wooden paddles (sothuppalakai) were used to strain cooked rice. With the option of having the teakwood paddles hand-painted, they make charming wall accents or platters. Details: 7010655300 Price: ₹7,875
Brass Urli and Tealight Set
Nestasia, Kolkata
The set features a silver-coated urli with embossed detailing and curved handles, paired with two tealight holders adorned with floral-patterned rims. A 20g packet of fragrant potpourri completes the set. Details: nestasia.in Price: ₹4,390
Elephant Decor Sculpture
The Elephant People, Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve
The group transforms invasive plants such as Lantana and Senna spectabilis into handcrafted wooden objects, supporting local livelihoods. Shankar’s sculpture is hand-carved and painted in the Nilgiris using invasive Senna spectabilis wood. Shankar is a tusker who grew up in the forests around Cherambadi. His likeness is part of the Elephant Portrait Series, inspired by elephants who share our landscapes and reminding us that coexisting is complex and beautiful. Details: theelephantpeople.com Price: ₹2,500
Drink
Mapcha Key Bottle Opener
Mapcha Studio, New Delhi
Mapcha means ‘peacock’ in Tibetan, and this creative studio reimagines Himalayan visual heritage into minimalist design. The bottle opener, conceptualised in solid brass, is modelled on the antique Tibetan demig (key). The front features the shou, the symbol for longevity, with a magnet on the back. Details: mapcha.co Price: ₹950
Sutara Leather Tray
Atelier Bobby Aggarwal, New Delhi
Inspired by the traditional Kolhapuri leather chappal, the Sutara tray features its distinctive perforations, hand-stitched details and textures, translating them into an object for the contemporary home. Details: nilayaanthology.com Price: ₹1,80,900
Twilight Decanter & Wine Glasses
Glass Forest, New Delhi
With a simple silhouette in shades of grey, the Borosillicate handblown decanter is sleek and sophisticated for evening soirees, with an ebony-ivory glass stopper. The minimalist handblown wine glasses in white, grey, and black swap the delicate wine stem for a pyramid base enabling a comfortable grip. Details: glassforest.com Price: ₹3,250
Published – October 31, 2026 12:29 am IST
