The women of the Bhutia community of Sikkim practice what is perhaps the oldest form of carpet-weaving in the world. They traditionally weave hand-knotted woollen carpets with chiefly Tibetan designs on upright wooden frame-loom. The warp – taan of the carpet is cotton and is mounted on the upper beams while the woven fabric is […]
India’s paper tradition has an antiquity of nearly a thousand years. Even though is presently caught in a struggle between the changing past and an unknown future, India still has the largest population of hand paper makers in the world. Handmade paper is used multi-fold in Sikkim, from religious manuscripts to its use in monasteries […]
Across Sikkim, Buddhist monasteries with beautiful brass and bronze metal images of Lord Buddha and other objects of ceremonial use and reverence such as small bowls, plates, and statues can be found. These items are made by local artisans, concentrated in and around Gangtok. The uniqueness of metal casting in Sikkim holds to the fact […]
Sikkim is home to three distinct tribes – the Lepchas, the Bhutias – immigrants from Bhutan, and the Tsongs, hailing from Nepal. The three races coexist and the muted harmonious colours of the Lepchas can be seen along with the gay silks of the Bhutias and the heavy ornaments of the Tsongs. Lepcha-weaving is native […]
The Soft Toys & Dolls unit, a part of the Directorate of Handicrafts and Handloom (DHH), Gangtok was set up with an aim to promote local economic stability and employability and thus, targets export based opportunities for the sector. The raw materials used in the making process are considered to be the best, leading to […]
The cane and bamboo craft exists in almost all the villages in the interior of Sikkim and the skilled artisans here offer a distinguished range of products. Being one of the fastest growing plants and found in abundance all over the state, Bamboo is deeply embedded in several traditions of Sikkim and remains a decades […]
Wood craft, an ancient art form was originally patronised by the Buddhist monasteries, where ornate wood plaques, Buddhist symbols and icons continue to adorn the walls. Wooden images of Lord Buddha, and wooden containers and utensils are extensively used in Sikkim. The local Sikkimese use a wooden pot for churning curd to make butter, where […]