Ashtalakshmi is a group of the eight manifestations of Lakshmi, the Hindu goddess of prosperity. She presides over eight sources of wealth. But from December 6 to 8, 2024, it was the name of an event celebrating the eight Northeast states in a function involving stalls, fashion shows, and display of talents by the best of the eight states.
According to its official website, the government intended to “provide an unprecedented platform to showcase the region’s vibrant textile industry, artisanal crafts, and unique Geographical Indication (GI) products” through the Mahotsav. But did it?
Speaking to a hall full of the eight states’ best talents in textile and crafts and their best performers, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, “Over the next three days, this festival will present the immense potential of the North East to the entire country and the world. There will be agreements fostering trade, showcasing North Eastern products, its rich culture, and its delectable cuisine, which will undoubtedly captivate everyone’s attention.”
During the three-day event, participants shared many memorable moments.
Bambi Kevichusa, a fashion designer from Nagaland, shared with EastMojo that the highlight of the event for her was having the opportunity to showcase her designs to the Minister of Donor and his wife. “They seemed like such a lovely young couple, and I consider it a privilege that they could see my clothes,” she said. Another highlight for her was working with an amazing choreography team led by Prasad Bidapa. “The team was incredible—it was like a well-oiled machine. As designers, we didn’t have to stress or worry about anything because everything was handled for us. We just had to show up with our clothes.”
When asked about her participation in the program, Bambi mentioned, “When I heard Prasad would be the choreographer, I knew I wanted to work with him. I had heard about him and knew he was famous in India. I wasn’t disappointed—I was far from disappointed. It was such a treat for me.”
Bambi Kevichusa said while the event was a great opportunity to showcase their designs to the outside world, it would have been more impactful if serious buyers, industry professionals, and store owners were targeted and invited. This way, designers could not only display their clothes to the world but also connect with people interested in retailing their products. Overall, she expressed her gratitude, saying, “I am very grateful and privileged to have worked with NHDC, the Ministry of Donor, and the Ministry of Textiles. I am truly satisfied and happy to have had the opportunity to participate in this program.”
Patricia Zadeng, a designer from Mizoram and creator of a fashion textile brand, shared her experience showcasing her designs at the Ashtalakshmi Fashion Show. She found the fashion show a great opportunity to promote her work. “Eight designers from each northeastern state were selected to present our collections at the Ashtalakshmi Fashion Show by Prasad Bidapa, and Lapâr was chosen to represent Mizoram. Our latest collection, Lalnu Ropuiliani Winter 24, was featured on stage. The collection included puan (wraparound skirts), stoles, wearable textiles like kimono jackets, and handmade jewellery, all crafted by Mizo women. Jeje Lalpekhlua, a former footballer and now MLA, was the showstopper for our segment,” she said.
“As a young designer and entrepreneur, it is crucial for me to present my work on big platforms such as Ashtalalaskmi Mahotsav. Moreover, the chief guest of the fashion show, Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia told me that he appreciated our collection and shook my hand while we were still on stage. It was both an honour and a privilege. Lapâr also had a stall at the Mizoram State Pavillion. We got to interact with potential buyers and meet our existing clients. We showcased and sold our products there,” she added.
Zadeng said she believed the entire event was well thought out, giving the participants the opportunity to meet potential investors at the round table conference, and interesting panel discussions. She noted that more than 70 people from Mizoram participated and that the main organizers, NEHHDC, worked hard, and assisted them whenever there was any issue.
While there were positive testimonies, the first day, marked by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s inaugural program, left participants with bitter memories. Strict security protocols associated with the Prime Minister’s presence severely restricted their movement and access to food and water for nearly nine hours.
“They put in tremendous effort to organize the event, with every state showcasing its pavilion and dedicated sections for eri silk, muga silk, and GI-tagged products. Although the event was scheduled from December 6 to 8, the Prime Minister’s attendance on the 6 halted our stall activity. We were asked to arrive at the venue as early as 9 AM. Upon arrival, we couldn’t access our stall due to PMO security protocols,” shared Irene Lalnunpuii, a designer with Weave Me More Dreams, a textile brand from Mizoram and one of the participants.
“Everyone’s lunch was stuck outside the gate because the PM’s security team didn’t allow the lunch truck to pass. Aside from breakfast, no one—including the performers—had anything to eat and had to stay until the event concluded. We didn’t even have access to water and remained at the venue until 5 PM when the Prime Minister finally left,” she added.
Lalnunpuii praised the Minister of Donor, Jyoti Scindia, saying, “He seemed very involved. On the day we arrived, the 5th, he inspected the entire venue. He even came the next day, before the Prime Minister arrived, and worked tirelessly. The event was well-prepared, especially considering that Chief Ministers from various states attended. The function beautifully represented all eight northeastern states.” However, she added, “Everything was spoken in Hindi, and there was no translation, so we couldn’t understand anything and were left just sitting there. But, sitting in the beautiful hall and seeing the PM from a distance was the highlight for us.”
Susan Ralte, co-proprietor of Mizo Handloom, who was fortunate to have a space at Mizoram state’s pavilion and attend the buyer-seller meet, shared her grim experience of the event. Reflecting on Modi’s visit, she told EastMojo, “On the opening day, we were asked to arrive very early and set up our stalls. However, by around 11 o’clock, we were asked to leave the area. When it was lunchtime, we were informed that food would be served at a specific spot, so we all rushed there, only to find nothing. We were then told the food was being served somewhere else, and we kept moving from one place to another, feeling like cattle. To make matters worse, we weren’t even provided with water. From 11 AM until Prime Minister Modi left, we had nothing to eat or drink.”
Ralte said the program was nice, especially when Modi entered the auditorium. However, hours of wasted time and a lack of basic amenities dampened their entire experience.
Questions were also raised about the marketing and awareness surrounding the event. Lalnunpuii mentioned that foot traffic was low in Delhi, and some stall owners noted that sales were also limited, based on discussions. However, she added, “Despite this, having all the products from the Northeast come together and organizing an event like this is still a positive step forward.”
Susan Mizoram pavilions – and attended buyer-seller meet – the buyer-seller meet was not very effective the way I saw it there were a lot of Assamese representatives so it was like they were buying and selling and meeting a month themselves. We didn’t have any outside people coming to meet us.
Overall it was very tedious for people to come in with the scanning. You had to register first. But I had to show my pass so many times to go to my stall so some people said why we should even bother to register. People who wanted to buy weren’t coming in. I think there was not enough publicity because people didn’t know about it. Khami
Susan also shared Lalnunpuii’s opinion, noting that the Mizoram pavilion and the buyer-seller meet didn’t seem very effective. “A lot of the representatives were from Assam, and it felt like they were mostly buying, selling, and meeting among themselves. We didn’t have many outside visitors,” she explained.
She further highlighted the challenges with the event’s registration and security procedures, mentioning that it was tedious for attendees to enter. “I had to show my pass multiple times just to get to my stall,” she said. Susan also believed the event lacked adequate publicity, as many people were unaware of it, which impacted foot traffic and potential buyers.
Ramdina, an artist and participant from Mizoram, also shared his experience with EastMojo, saying, “It was a great experience overall; they covered all our expenses, including lodging and food, but the planning wasn’t executed well. The first two days were poorly organized, and we didn’t have time to make any sales. When the Prime Minister visited, we didn’t even have lunch, and we were not allowed to carry a bottle of water. We only had one day to make sales, which was the last day, and there were fewer people.”
Zadeng from Lapâr also suggested that there could have been better planning. She explained, “The Hon’ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the event, but security was very tight, and due to certain protocols, all participants from the State Pavilions were asked to exit the hall. Only two representatives from each pavilion were allowed to greet the Prime Minister, while the rest were requested to wait outside. This led to considerable commotion. We had to stand and wait for instructions for about five hours, making it a very hectic day. If there had been better planning and clearer communication, I believe the situation could have been handled more smoothly.”
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