Himachal Pradesh - Craft Documentation | Research Archive Handicrafts & Handloom

Wood Carving – Kullu

Gaatha A tale of crafts — Tue, 12 Dec 2023 05:32:27 +0000

The Indian state of Himachal Pradesh is a part of the western Himalayan region with a wide variety of forests. The mountain ranges here are not only inhabited by rich flora and fauna, but it has also influenced the artistic mores of the people in this region. The craft of wood carving is regarded as one of the major aesthetic traditions of the region and undoubtedly, it holds way more value than mere a visual treat. The Devabhoomi(s) (God’s land) has innumerable temples with carvings of wood as well as stone. It is not only for the old ones, but the new additions also share the same expression. The presence of such richly carved structures amidst the Himalayas has supported a subsistence economy for centuries till now. Wood carving, a vernacular craft, is a product of a culture that has evolved with time with geography and thus mirrors the strong cultural and historical forces of a specific region.

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Kinnari Shawls~Kinnaur

Gaatha A tale of crafts — Tue, 10 Apr 2018 11:22:32 +0000

This is a world, secluded from civilization, with a handmade culture of it’s own. Kinnaur, in Himachal Pradesh on the Indo-Tibetan border still has households, weaving one of the finest and most time-consuming weaves in wool but absolutely cut off from the rest of the world because of a variety of reasons: the inaccessibility of the area, topography, climate but most of all, because of their lack of trust in modern civilization. Their technique of weaving was stolen from them over a century ago and has been commercialized vastly. They refuse to sell their shawls. They refuse to commercialize their heritage.

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Buddha Figurines~Dharamshala

Gaatha A tale of crafts — Mon, 26 Sep 2016 11:28:24 +0000

Tibetan Buddhism took root in the 7th century CE, and today is one of the most recognizable Buddhist cultures, largely through the figure of the fourteenth Dalai Lama. All aspects of Buddhist practice seem to express in one fashion or another, the same fundamental impulse: To find serenity in a world of suffering and change.

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Thangka painting~Dharamshala

Gaatha A tale of crafts — Sat, 30 Jul 2016 11:14:16 +0000

A thangka is a complicated, composite three-dimensional object consisting of: a picture panel which is painted or embroidered, a textile mounting; and one or more of the following: a silk cover, leather corners, wooden dowels at the top and bottom and metal or wooden decorative knobs on the bottom dowel. The concept of Original Artistic Intent is difficult to apply to Tibetan thangkas. Thangkas are composite objects produced by painters and tailors with differing intents, skills and training. Iconographic specifications, regional and doctrinal differences in style, changes in form from harsh treatment and altered mountings all complicate the issue.

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Miniature Painting~Kangra

Gaatha A tale of crafts — Tue, 14 Jun 2016 11:04:10 +0000

Kangra paintings of ancient India belong to the school of Pahari paintings that were patronized by the Rajput rulers between the 17th and 19th centuries. Pahari paintings, as the name suggests, were paintings executed in the hilly regions of India, in the sub-Himalayan state of Himachal Pradesh. It is in the development and modification of Pahari paintings, that the Kangra School features. Under the patronage of Maharaja Sansar Chand, it became the most important centre of Pahari painting.

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