Golden Hours at Okhla: The Weekend with the Arts

There is a specific kind of magic that happens in Delhi every February. The winter chill is finally giving way to that soft, golden sun, and the NSIC Grounds have turned into a literal sanctuary. This year, the fair does not just feel like an "event"—it feels like a celebration of things growing, healing, and connecting.

From Abramovic to Ancestral Stitch: Inside India Art Fair 2026 | The Voice Of FashionImage Courtesy: Voices of Fashion 

The first thing you will notice is the color. Afrah Shafiq’s massive facade is a vibrant love letter to women’s handiwork across history. It is impossible not to smile watching the patterns swirl; it feels like the fair is wearing a giant, digital shawl.

Inside, the energy is incredibly inclusive. You see people from all walks of life, students sharing headphones, families with strollers, and retirees debating the meaning of a sculpture. It’s one of those rare places in the city where everyone’s curiosity is given room to breathe.

Highlights that lift the spirit

Aranyani Pavilion at Sunder Nursery

  • The Healing Forest: Walking into Raki Nikahetiya’s Forest II is a total reset. It’s 200 native trees tucked into the industrial heart of Okhla. Knowing these plants will be moved to a permanent home in Delhi after the fair makes the whole installation feel like a gift to the city's future.

 

  • A Frozen Glow: The Korean Pavilion is a literal highlight. Titled Resonances of Light, it features mother-of-pearl and lacquer works that catch the afternoon sun in a way that feels genuinely peaceful.

Artist Devi Seetharam examines patriarchy in public spaces through the men we see and the women we don't | Vogue IndiaImage Courtesy: Vogue India

  • The Human Connection: Devi Seetharam’s large-scale paintings of family and intimacy are a beautiful reminder of the quiet bonds that hold us together. There is a warmth in the brushstrokes that feels like a hug from an old friend.

But the best part of this is not even the booths: it's the spaces in between. There is a "Sensory Art Rest Corner" for anyone who needs a moment of quiet, and the Inclusion Lab is buzzing with kids making their own art. It feels less like an "exclusive club" and more like a massive community garden where the crop just happens to be creative.

If you get a chance, grab a coffee at the Blue Tokai stall and just sit for twenty minutes. You will hear artists talking shop, friends laughing over a weird installation, and that hum of 135 different galleries all vibrating with the same hopeful energy.