Directorate of Handicrafts and Handloom

The Directorate of Handicrafts and Handloom at Zero Point in Gangtok, Sikkim, is a government-run institute and emporium dedicated to preserving and promoting traditional Sikkimese crafts. Established to train artisans and sustain cottage industries, it showcases handloom textiles, Sikkimese carpets, thangka paintings, wood carvings and bamboo crafts. Visitors can observe artisans at work, view exhibition halls and purchase authentic handmade products from the government sales emporium.

Visitors can expect a government institute complex with workshop halls, exhibition rooms and a sales emporium. Inside, artisans can be seen weaving carpets and handloom textiles, painting thangkas, and carving wood. Display halls exhibit finished carpets, traditional textiles, masks, bamboo and cane products. The setting is functional and educational rather than a conventional museum, with opportunities to observe craft processes and purchase authentic government-certified handicrafts.