पंडित दीनदयाल उपाध्याय हस्तकला संकुल – व्यापार सुविधा केंद्र

The Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Hastkala Sankul, popularly known as the Trade Facilitation Centre (TFC), is one of Varanasi’s most significant modern infrastructure projects, envisioned to showcase the city’s centuries-old tradition of handloom, handicrafts, and textile artistry while also providing a world-class platform for business, trade, exhibitions, and conventions. Inaugurated in September 2017 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Sankul stands as a tribute to Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya and his philosophy of Antyodaya—uplifting the marginalized, especially artisans and weavers who form the backbone of Banaras’s craft heritage. Located on the Varanasi–Babtpur Road (NH-56), with close proximity to the airport, railway station, and city centre, the TFC has quickly emerged as a landmark destination for cultural exchange, trade promotion, and MICE tourism.

Spread across 8 acres, the complex has been designed as a composite hub for craft promotion and modern business events. It houses a state-of-the-art Convention Centre with a seating capacity of nearly 2,000, making it suitable for international summits, trade fairs, and large cultural performances. Alongside the main auditorium, the Sankul features multiple exhibition halls, banquet spaces, conference rooms, and meeting halls equipped with advanced audio-visual technology, lighting systems, and internet connectivity. The vast exhibition areas are used to display Banarasi textiles, carpets, wooden toys, metal crafts, and other artisanal products, allowing visitors to directly engage with Varanasi’s rich cultural economy.

The architectural design of the Sankul reflects a blend of modern functionality and local identity, with motifs inspired by Banarasi weaves, jaali work, and traditional art forms. It also integrates eco-friendly measures such as solar panels, LED lighting, and water management systems, making it both sustainable and future-ready. The landscaped premises include open-air amphitheatres, food courts, craft stalls, and spaces that allow artisans to demonstrate weaving, dyeing, and other craft processes live to visitors—turning the centre into a living museum of Varanasi’s handicraft legacy.

Functionally, the TFC serves a dual role:

As a MICE destination, it provides Varanasi with the capacity to host high-profile summits, government conferences, trade exhibitions, corporate events, and cultural festivals, thereby strengthening the city’s standing in the global meetings and conventions sector.

Since its inauguration, the Sankul has hosted several national handloom expos, international buyer-seller meets, and cultural programs that have brought artisans, entrepreneurs, and policy-makers onto a single platform. It has also been a venue for G20 cultural and trade events, showcasing India’s soft power and the enduring appeal of Banaras’s craftsmanship to global audiences.

In essence, the Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Hastkala Sankul / Trade Facilitation Centre is more than just a convention and exhibition complex—it is a symbol of empowerment, preservation, and progress, giving Varanasi’s artisans global visibility while simultaneously positioning the city as a rising hub for MICE tourism, cultural diplomacy, and international trade promotion.