Made by hand, meant to stay.
Found, not made in excess.
Deraaj was founded by Priyam Agarwal Mitra and Pooja Shankar.
Priyam’s journey is anchored in textile design, shaped by her time at NIFT Kolkata and years spent in quiet dialogue with fabric and craft. What began as a discipline gradually unfolded into a deeper reverence for India’s weaving traditions, and for the skilled hands that lend them life, continuity, and meaning.
Pooja’s journey is rooted in the arts, shaped by music and theatre where rhythm and expression became instinctive. Over time, this sensibility found its truest form in handloom and textiles evolving into a refined eye for weave, texture, and the quiet poetry of the handmade. Her collection of over 300 sarees reflects this connection, each piece chosen by intuition and emotion, with a deep reverence for the craft and its makers.
Deraaj emerged at the meeting point of these two worlds one shaped by design and discipline, the other by artistic instinct and lived experience.
What began as a shared inclination grew into a thoughtful search for pieces that feel honest, that carry a sense of place and patience, and that often remain overlooked in a world moving too quickly.
Deraaj was created to bring such pieces together with care. Not as objects of abundance, but as things worth choosing, keeping, and returning to. What you see here is simply a continuation of that search.
Our Philosophy
We are drawn to things that carry time. To work shaped by hand, by patience, by repetition. Pieces that feel rooted in a place, not made to follow a moment. What we seek are objects that hold depth quietly, and reveal themselves slowly.
We choose to bring together fewer things, but with greater care. To value process over speed, and meaning over abundance. Each piece is selected with attention, not to fill space, but to belong in it. What we hold is not just what is made, but what stays.
Handloom Only
We are drawn only to what is made by hand. Pieces shaped slowly, away from machines and mass production. It is a choice we continue to stand by.
Heritage Preservation
We seek out weaves and crafts that are slowly disappearing. Not as relics, but as living practices that still belong in the present.
Uncompromised Quality
Every piece is carefully inspected before it reaches you. Material, technique, and origin are never compromised.
Why DERAAJ?
Not just a store. A quiet connection between those who make, and those who understand.
Direct from the Artisan
Each piece comes directly from the hands that make it. No layers in between. What you receive, and what they earn, remain true.
Only What is Made by Hand
Everything you see here is handwoven or handcrafted. Each piece is carefully examined for material, technique, and authenticity before it reaches you.
One-of-One
Made by hand, each piece is naturally unique. No two are ever the same.
On WhatsApp
If you have a question or need guidance, we are available on WhatsApp. A simple conversation, with someone who understands.
Meet the Founders
What began as an instinct slowly became Deraaj.
PRIYAM AGARWAL MITRA
MUMBAI, INDIAPriyam's approach is shaped by an attention to detail and a deep sensitivity to material. She is drawn to the structure of a weave, the balance of form, and the quiet discipline behind how things are made.
POOJA SHANKAR
MUMBAI, INDIAPooja sees value in what stays. Her instinct lies in recognising pieces that carry a certain presence, shaped by time, feeling, and a natural sense of what belongs.