The Vendor Who Introduced Handicraft to Shillong — and His Son Who Carries It On
Ujjwal Agarwal, handloom and handicraft entrepreneur, Megha Emporium, Shillong
ਇਹ ਕਹਾਣੀ ਜਿਸ ਸਵਾਲ ਦਾ ਜਵਾਬ ਲੱਭਦੀ ਹੈ:
“Can a 34-year handloom legacy in the heart of Shillong prove that sustainable craft outlasts every trend?”
Megha Emporium has stood at the heart of Shillong's handloom market for 40 years. Now Ujjwal Agarwal runs it — 34 years in, building on his father's foundation, teaching his daughters what it means to make something lasting.
Megha Emporium is not just a stall. It is a statement about what Shillong's market can be.
Ujjwal Agarwal's father arrived here over 40 years ago with a simple idea: take the materials no one thought were valuable and turn them into something beautiful and lasting. Handloom and handicraft, sourced entirely from Meghalaya. He became the second most-selling vendor in the city. His son has run the business for 34 years now — and the philosophy has not changed.
Products at Megha Emporium range from ₹50 to ₹5 lakh depending on the craft, the material, and the intricacy of the work. Each piece is made by someone who understands that the value lies in the making. The challenge is finding people willing to do that kind of work — labour that demands patience, skill, and a belief in what you are creating.
Ujjwal's daughters have grown up with the stall and with the craft. They are, he says, more aware of sustainability than he is. The next chapter of Megha Emporium may belong to them.