Kullu Shawls (Craft research and documentation)

KULLU SHAWLS KNOWN FOR ITS REVERSIBLE TECHNIQUE OF WEAVING

ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES, CRAFT RESEARCH, AND DOCUMENTATION

WORLD UNIVERSITY OF DESIGN

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KULLU SHAWLS

ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES, CRAFT RESEARCH, AND DOCUMENTATION

WORLD UNIVERSITY OF DESIGN

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

We would like to thank the World University of Design for giving us the opportunity to visit Kullu, Himachal Pradesh and spend time with the locals while documenting different aspects of Kullu Shawls.

We met a lot of people during the whole process and everyone contributed their bit to the completion of this project.

Firstly, we would like to thank the owner of The Shalangco Villa and factory in Kullu- Mr. Yashpal Thakur for being super helpful. We're also thankful to Mr. Roop Singh, Dolly Devi, for being patient and spending their valuable time with us.

The journey was indeed a learning experience.

The people we met helped us achieve a successful research visit.

Our heartfelt thanks to Mr. Yashpal Thakur for being remote support and the Shalangco family for their great hospitality and contribution to this project.

This document wouldn't have been well formatted if not for the guidance on document layout by Mr. Atul Maurya and Mr. Ram Manohar.

Finally, we're very thankful to our friends, faculty, and staff members for keeping us motivated at every stage of the project.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Acknowledgment Contents Introduction Geographical aspects Landmarks in research journey Clothing and Jewellery Planning and architecture

Craft History

Food Government interventions Product Line Export and Import Design and motifs Business Structure Yarns Manufacturing process

Water Supplies Education

INTRODUCTION

The Kullu valley is known as the "Valley of the Gods" or "Dev Bhumi" due to many pilgrimage sites for Hindus, Buddhists and Sikhs alike. Kullu is known for its open valley meadows and scenic views of the Himalayan mountain range.

Bihangmani Pal founded the Kullu state and made Naggar as his capital. The original name of Kullu was Kuluta which finds mention in the Vishnu Purana, Ramayana, and other Hindu mythological literature.

It lies on the Beas River about 60 miles (100 km) north of Shimla, the state capital, with which it is linked by road.

Kullu is one of the oldest states. It was in 1846 that Kullu was handed over to the British Government as a part of the Lahore agreement.1960, Kullu was separated from Lahaul Spiti as the latter was known as a separate district. It was only in 1963 that Kullu gained its district status while in 1966, Kullu became a part of Himachal Pradesh.

Bihangmani Pal founded the Kullu state and made Naggar his capital. The original name of Kullu was Kuluta which finds mention in the Vishnu Purana, Ramayana, and other Hindu mythological literature.

Named after Kullu Valley, Himachal Pradesh, the Kullu woolens are one of the finest and are known for their reversible technique of weaving.

Kullu shawls can be described as fabric made on the handloom with yarn on which value addition is done by inserting design threads (width-wise) during weaving.

The people of Kullu are said to be mostly dependent on farming for a living. The arrival of crafts changed the way people viewed Kullu. There emerged an increased value for handcrafted/handwoven shawls, stoles, loi, etc.

Wool was a material that gave relief in the cold valleys and hills. Life in the hilly areas is a challenge. The people Embraced “wool” as shelter as well as a way of livelihood. People found a future in the craft and established societies, joining hands and giving employment to thousands. People residing in hilly areas, where day-to-day travel is a challenge have found ways to install handlooms in their houses. The arrival of tourists to Kullu and Manali has brought a demand for the rich history of craftworks we inherited. Local sheep, Angora rabbits, Goats, yaks are sources of wool locally, as well as finer wool exported from Australia.

KULLU GEOGRAPHICAL ASPECTS

Geographical location Altitude - 1279 mt. Latitude - 31o 20’ 25″ to 32o 25’ 0″ North Longitude - 6o 56’ 30″ to 77o 52’ 20″ East Surrounding Areas & Districts - Kullu is bounded on the north and east by Lahaul & Spiti, on the south-east by Kinnaur, on the south by Shimla, on the south-west and west by Mandi and the north-west by Kangra. It lies on the Beas River about 60 miles (100 km) north of Shimla, the state capital, with which it is linked by road.

Weather: Generally, the weather is cold and dry and the year can be divided into three seasons: Summer -April to July Monsoon -August to September Winter -October to March Kullu weather is beautiful the whole year through. The months of December and January are the coldest with temperatures dipping to 4 Degree and even sub-zero at times. Snowfall can be expected in these months. The highest temperatures exist between May and August i.e. between 25 degrees centigrade and 37 degrees centigrade. The months of July and august see a lot of rainfall (average flow being 15 cm monthly). Climate is at its pleasantest in October and November.

LANDMARKS IN RESEARCH JOURNEY

Kullu market Manu weavers Shalangco retail outlet Bhuttico factory and retail outlet Suma village Bashing Ajay factory outlet K.D. Star Senior Secondary School Lalit Mahajan Saraswati Vidya Mandir

WOMEN'S CLOTHING

Pattoo- Pattoo is a drape style dress widely worn by the women in Kullu and Kinnaur District of Himachal Pradesh. The elegant dress is draped like a saree but instead of taking the ends only over one shoulder, both the ends of the pattu are pinned on the front side just below the shoulders with Boomani.

Dhatu or Thipu - Dhatu or Thipu is a square piece of cloth used to cover the head.

Pullas - Pullas are footwear like bedroom slippers made out of hemp (fiber extracted from Marijuana stem).

Very colorful designs are made on the upper portion with colored woolen threads.

KULLU SHAWLS- A Kullu shawl is a type of shawl made in Kullu, India, featuring various geometrical patterns and bright colors.

Kullu shawls are mostly made of three types of wool- Merino wool, Angora wool, and Local sheep wool yak's wool, Pashmina Typical Kullu shawls have geometrical designs on both ends. The shawls may also have floral designs, which may run all over. Each design may have up to eight colors. Most traditional colors are often bright colors.

MEN'S CLOTHING Chola- Chola is a long woolen coat with pleats.

Dora- Dora is a piece of cloth that is tied to the waist and is served as a belt.

Suthan- Suthan is something like tight pants.

Himachali Caps (Bushehri topi, Pahari topi, Kinnauri topi) - It is a part of the traditional dress of many Pahari inhabitants. It is circular or like a boat shape with some beautiful design facing the front weaved in wool or cotton and sometimes velvet.

Lachhoo- Lachhoo is a blanket used to cover the shoulders.

Chadder- Chadder or Loi is a gents shawl. It is mostly in grey, white, cream, and brown in color

COMMON CLOTHING Kullu Jacket- Made of sheep wool with love, the designer jackets of Kullu are in huge demand. The growing handloom industry of the country has given chance to local artisans to promote and sell their handicrafts. Jackets are one of them. Woven with wool, having a colorful designer border, the jackets are earning widespread popularity.

Kullu Socks- The handwoven socks of Kullu have become popular not just in India but abroad too. The socks keep your feet warm and soft.

These woolen socks are knitted from local wool or cash melon thread.

They have geometrical designs woven with bright colors along the top of the foot. A typical characteristic of these socks is that they are knitted with 4 needles instead of two.

JEWELLERY

Ornaments for Pattoo Boomani- Boomani is silver or gold needles joined together with chains. It is used to tie up the pattoo (local dress).

NOSE ORNAMENTS LAUNG- THIS NOSE STUD IS A DAILY WEAR AND IS MADE OF GOLD. BALU- IT IS A GOLD NOSE RING WORN BY THE BRIDE. FULI- IT IS A WORE UNDER THE BRIDGE OF THE NOSE.

HEAD ORNAMENTS TUNKI- IT IS A SILVER ORNAMENT USED TO COVER THE PARTING OF THE HAIR. TORA- IT IS A SILVER ORNAMENT USED AS A HAIRBAND. TIKA- IT IS AN ELABORATE DESIGN, A COMBINATION OF TUNKI AND TORA. PARANDA- IT IS A LONG SILVER ORNAMENT USED TO DECORATE THE KNOT.

Ear ornaments Khundi- It is a small golden or silver ring worn on the upper part of the ear.

Gokhadu- It is a big earring with colorful beads and a long chain covering the forepart of the ear.

Bali- It is a big golden ring.

Dhidu- It is a bell-shaped earring made of gold

Neck Ornaments Chandrahar- This silver necklace is worn during marriages and fairs.

Sikkamala- It is a silver necklace of coins belonging to the British era. This is also worn on occasions like marriages and fairs.

Ghungroomala- It is made up of small hollow silver beads. They are used as daily wear.

Jaumala- Jaumala is an ornament of daily wear made up of silver pendants, which are in the shape of barley.

Finger Ornaments Guthi- It is a golden ring in the shape of a diamond.

Arm Ornament Tokae- It is a flat-designed silver bracelet, which is around 4" broad. It is generally worn during marriages and fairs.

Maritadi- It is a silver bracelet with beautifully designed spikes. The two ends of the bracelet are joined with the help of a nut.

Feet Ornaments Jhanjar- It is a 3" to 4" wide anklet made of silver.

Payal- This anklet is narrow than the Jhanjhar.

Bichhwa- It is a ring worn on the toes.

PLANNING AND ARCHITECTURE

BASHING, KULLU AS BASHING HAS IS EASY TO REACH IN IN ALL MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION AS COMPARED TO ELSE RURAL VILLAGES THEREFORE BASHING HAS SOME ADVANTAGES IN CONSTRUCTION OF HOUSES, THEIR WE CAN FIND ALMOST ALL TYPES OF HOUSES WHICH CONSISTS OF WOODEN HOUSES, SLATES INCLUDES, EVEN CEMENTED BUT ALL HAVE AN ESSENCE OF THEIR TRADITIONAL ARCHITECTURAL STYLE CALLED KASHTHKUNI BECAUSE OF DIFFERENT CLIMATIC WEATHERS SUCH AS SNOWFALL AND HEAVY RAINFALL, ALMOST ALL THE HOUSES HAVE AN SLANTING ROOFTOP.

SUMA, KULLU A TYPICAL VILLAGE HOUSE IN SUMA WERE HOUSES LIKE THESE LARGE AND MADE OF BRICKS OFTEN BELONG TO THE SLIGHTLY WEALTHY. DEPENDING UPON THE WEALTHINESS THE HOUSES WERE MADE SOME WITH LOW WEALTH WERE MADE OF MUD'S AND STONES AND MANY MORE. KATH-KUNI IS THE SPECIFIC TYPE OF ARCHITECTURE WHICH IS USED IN THE VILLAGE FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE HOUSES THE PROCESS INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS WOOD AND SLATE. STONE, WOODS AND STONES ARE USED FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF WALLS AND FLOORING PURPOSE SLATES ARE USED AS A RAIN AND SNOWPROOFING MATERIAL ON THE ROOFTOP.

FOOD

SIDDU This is a local dish that one must have when in Manali. On having a conversation with one of the local restaurant owners we came to know that siddu is the ideal companion for mutton and other non-veg preparations in India. It is prepared using bread dough. It involves a long process firstly the bread is put on a flame, cooked halfway, and then steamed. Then the dough is kept aside so that it can rise and after the yeast settles down, they par-cook the dough and this is how the dish is made and it has a distinct simple taste so one can have it with mutton.

Also one of our group members is not a rice fan so the owner asked her to try out stuffed fermented bread which is best eaten with mutton but she is a vegan so she paired it with chana madra loaded with ghee and spices. This Pahari cuisine is made with onions, poppy seeds, and wheat flour and the best part is that it is garnished with spices like coriander & cumin. (image reference-bottom left)

BABRU While coming back from Kullu local market we noticed a shop corner shop just opposite the bus stand where an old couple was selling babru and momos. The couple told us that this dish falls in the family of kachoris (crispy Indian snack). Alike kachoris, this too is made by using a paste of soaked black gram and then kneading it into a dough. Then finally the dough is cut into small pieces and rolled out followed by deepfrying. It succeeds in bringing alive the flavors and aromas of Himachali cuisine. (image reference-bottom right)

Cantonese Noodles We went to a tibetan restaurant where we tried these well-known noodles with just the right amount of spices. It is easily available across several joints as we walk down a road. It can be best served in the local places along the street or are easily available in several Tibetan restaurants and cafes across the place. Noodles have always been favourite not only amongst the kids but adults too. Here one can taste the best Cantonese noodles whose flavours will win the heart and make the person crave for more.

Thukpa It is noodles soup which is a fusion of tibetan and chinese dish. The lady serving there told us that she is making this dish from last 30 years and also told us that thukpa can be prepared in both vegetarian and non-vegetarian ways. A number of fresh vegetables such as tomato, onions, spring onions, string beans, carrot, chopped cabbage can be added to the noodles, with or without meat or chicken. This is a spicy dish cooked with ginger garlic paste, chilli and sauces added as per preference and steam momos are added in it in the last.

LAPING Laping is a spicy cold mung bean noodle dish in Tibetan cuisine. It is a street food and is also popular in some parts of Nepal. It can be eaten with red pepper chili, coriander and green onion sauce. The noodles have a slippery texture and are served with a soy sauce gravy.

MOMOS It's an Indian version of the Chinese dim sums, momos is one of the favorites amongst the locals. It is prepared with thin sheets of refined flour which are then filled with vegetables or meat and then steamed. We noticed that it is available on every other stall in the town and comes under the best street food and there are so many types of it, like Potatoe cheese momos, chicken momos, mutton momos. Hilly region definitely has momos as their main chinese food item in their menu. The simple accessibility of this dish at every place is highly ensured regarding its cleanliness & arrangements before serving it to the people.

Suma, Kullu There are water pipelines provided by the government to fulfill the water requirement but there are limited timings for the water supply, villagers store water in water tanks for their daily usages, in case of water shortage there are several natural water supplies as refereed in the 1 st picture, villagers fill up their waters buckets from their for emergency as a drinking water And for the other purpose like cloth washing during a water shortage, the villagers wash their clothes in the small river they have in their village.

Water Supplies

Bashing, Kullu There are water pipelines provided by the government to fulfill the water requirement with all-time water supply without any shortages, there is proper storage management of water in the village for the daily usage, in case of water shortage they have proper water saving management for future uses.

EDUCATION

Suma, Kullu There was only playschool available there. For the main and higher studies of children, one needs to send them to Kullu for studies by bus. That was a tough job for kids there as everyday up-down questions their safety and long route a matter of concern.

Bashing, Kullu The educational aim of students is what one wants to pursue as a career. we had words with the students of Lalit Mahajan Saraswati vidya mandir and KD star sr. secondary school. Students of the 8th class told they want to become doctors, pilots, IAS officers, teachers, astronauts, etc. Students of the 12th class had aims like a banker, CA, CS, entrepreneur, doctor, R&D, agricultural sector, etc. As there were not many streams for them only science and commerce so they were not knowing about fields like designing, aviation engineering, etc.

PSYCHOGRAPHIC RESEARCH Dolly Devi is a 60 year old woman who was born in Manali and now lives in Kullu. She has been living in Kullu since she got married there. Her qualification is 10th pass from a Hindi medium school. She is the mother of three boys and one girl. Her family owns Ajay shawls where she has been practicing the craft- Kullu shawls for the last 40 years and contributing to the family businees while her husband looks over the marketing of their business. Their home is built on 300 gaj (2675 square ft.) land driven by their ancestors. Not only the whole family contributes to the business they also make Kullu shawls and pattus at home for them to wear.

Dolly Devi uses kulbi (local dialect) and knows Hindi language too. Her religion is Hindu and believes in Devi Bhoomi. Her outfit generally is pattu, a kullu shawl and bhoomni which is the usual attire of local women in Kullu. She calls her husband as ladde in the kulbi language which is very common in Kullu.

She grows different kinds of fruits in her family owned farm such as - apple, pomegranate, chapani, kharmani, aadu etc. She sells lugdi which is a homemade wine and also sells lingdi pickle and milk and she has 3 goats and she sells their wools too. They have a special place for honeybees in their home where they keep and feed them and obtain their honey from them.

Their everyday meal is chapati and rice and they eat siddu and thupka on festivals which are very common items of food in Kullu. Also, galgal ka achar (hill lemon pickle) is consumed in their house very often. They have a special kind of chulha for roti making and tea making.

They have many electrical appliances in their home such as television, microwave, 2 fridge, washing machine, etc. They have 2 vehicles - one car and one activa scooty.

Their house was entirely carpeted and the ceiling was not only cemented but was layered up with wood to keep the house warm.

Dolly Devi has written an entire book about Kullu shawls from her 40 year experience of practicing the craft and she never shares it with anybody.

CRAFT HISTORY

Before the country's independence, a group of 12 progressive handloom weavers joined hands and organized and got registered a Handloom Weavers Cooperative on 18-12-1944 in one of the remote backward Lug Valley of Kullu. The working of the Society remained dormant up to the year 1955. However, in the year 1956 one local youth namely Mr. VED RAM THAKUR was motivated to join this cooperative.

With a brilliant record in weaving, marketing and management, he transformed this dormant society into a very active institution. He brought in dramatic changes and maintained its unique position as a market leader in the shawl industry. He also donated his shawl weaving industry to this society which is a rare example. He passed away at the age of 50 years in the year 1971. The reins of this society were taken over by his brilliant son Shri Satya Parkash Thakur. Shri Satya parkash Thakur with his able leadership, systematic planning made this society a very successful profit-making venture. This society is providing viding employment to over 1000 weavers families. This society has made economic development amongst the handloom Weaver Members.

SUPPORT FROM GOVERNMENT Government helps the agencies by providing ·10% subsidy on import of merino wool. ·Government has issued a Geographic Indicator(GI) to original Kullu Shawls. So you can ask the shopkeeper about it, but it’s not very common and very few societies have obtained it so it’s not an idle way to confirm the authenticity of Kullu Shawls.

PANDEMIC EFFECTS Like the other businesses, this field has also been affected a lot because of COVID19.

Larger agencies like Bhuttico were able to keep standing in the market because of its earlier incomes and online store (although sales were not as much as the stores) but smaller agencies faced a lot.

For example ·they had to close their factories ·as Kullu is a tourist place much of the income is because of tourists, reduction in tourism has caused a great loss for them. ·Many workers (bunker) left the job to look for other income sources.

Government interventions

PRODUCT LINE Kullu has many different and unique traditional products.

PATTU The traditional wear of kullvi women the pattu is a woolen piece of fabric of dimensions 1.40mt x 2.80mt and 1.50mt x 3mt made out of local sheep wool of Kullu and worn on different occasions, mostly traditional and casual wear.

Weighing around 600 grams to 800 grams, pattu has many variations in terms of patterns. ·PLAIN: is covered with chhiyan, vertical and horizontal lines and has a dhari, red border. (fig. 1) ·CHITRA: this one is in a combination of black and white checks and with a red border at both ends. (fig. 2) DABA: this one is a pattu with a body made of black and white checks and with a traditional patterned border on both ends. (fig.3) EK PHULWALA: it has different color combinations and one traditional patterned border on both ends. (fig. 4) (fig. 1)

(fig. 3)

(fig. 4)

(fig. 2)

·TEEN PHULWALA: this particular type of pattu is made up of many color combinations and three traditional patterns i.e., phool on both sides.

And a piece of cloth called gachchi, the belt is tied around the waist.

It costs starting from 500 to 10,000 or more, depending on the quality of wool and the time taken to bring out the intricacy of the pattern.

BHOOMNI On the chest area, the pattu is held by silver jewelry which resembles a neckpiece with huge pins on both ends called bhoomni. (fig. 5) ·It comes in different designs and weights. the heavier the bhoomni the higher the cost of it.

Different designs of bhoomni

(fig. 5)

DHATTU It is a woolen finely weaved scarf made of lamb or sheep wool traditionally worn by women to prevent cold winters by wrapping it around their heads. (fig. 6)

PULLAS Very uniquely designed, handmade using cannabis (bhang) straws, and available in many bright colors, pullas are the traditional slippers of the upper regions of Himachal. The upper portion of it is made of goat wool and decorated using colorful threads. (fig.7) KULLVI TOPI A traditional cap worn by both men and women made of local sheep wool semi-spherical in shape and stiff across the forehead (because of buckram or pasting material) with forehead area almost 3 to 6 inches broad covered with kullvi pattern.

It is worn on special occasions like weddings, temples, and festivals.

(fig. 6)

(fig. 8)

(fig. 7)

Major brands who produce apparel woven in Himachal Pradesh have a considerable profit share through export. There is a total of 33 branches of Bhuttico shawls across Himachal Pradesh, Mussoorie, and Delhi, each branch with an annual profit exceeding 1 crore, and this statistics is based on one society, Bhuttico Shawls.

Exports profits are above 32 lakh last year as per the main store.

Major countries that import products from India UK, USA, GERMANY, RUSSIA, SWITZERLAND, CHINA, NEPAL, JAPAN are major foreign countries that consume Kullu handwoven products. They modify and construct garments they receive according to the styles and trends of the locality.

Foreign customers have a more specific need than what a traditional Indian market demands.

Foreigners send the color palettes and patterns to be woven. Indian Weaving co-Operative societies such as Bhuttico shawls, etc ensure genuine trade relations.

Import of Merino wool Most of the products for export are of merino wool, which is exported from Australia. Merino wool is imported from Australia and Hand Spun at different locations in India like Ludhiana and Kolkata. Due to their coarse nature, the wool from sheep, yaks, goats, etc is not in much demand in foreign nations.

The designs provided by foreign customers are not permitted to be sold in the Indian market. They are attracted by the handlooms and craftmanship.

During festive seasons, demand doubles or triples.

The dimensions of shawls, stoles, etc for export are different from the Indian ones.

EXPORT

Most of the products for export are of merino wool, which is exported from Australia. Merino wool is imported from Australia and Hand Spun at different locations in India like Ludhiana and Kolkata. Due to their coarse nature, the wool from sheep, yaks, goats, etc is not in much demand in foreign nations.

IMPORT OF MERINO WOOL

The designs provided by foreign customers are not permitted to be sold in the Indian market. They are attracted by the handlooms and craftmanship.

During festive seasons, demand doubles or triples.

The dimensions of shawls, stoles, etc for export is different from the Indian ones.-

NOMADIC

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DESIGNS AND MOTIFS Initial stage of designs

This process is undertaken by workers with higher designation or by superiors who also supervise works. This elaborate process involves

Patterns are first made in pencil and then finished with sketch pens or erasable markers. These are patterns made for borders.

using markers or sketch- pens of different colors on graph sheets. This creative process demands time and attention for achieving symmetrical patterns. Designs have an overall pixelated look before and after it is woven.

Ambi motifs, Birds, Leaves, Florals are used plenty in these designs. The way these craftspeople compose the aesthetics is unique. The Shawls and apparels become more expensive concerning the complexity of the design as well as the time is taken for completing it.

The picture above was taken from Bhuttico design Diary. This is an example of how this method of working on the graph sheet helps make precise and symmetrical designs.

Below is another view of how the designs form a continuous pattern like a tessellation is formed.

MOTIFS Various motifs are used in making the pattern for Kullu shawls.

They don’t particularly have such meanings for each motif as they are derived randomly from nature, whatever would look visually appealing to them, like flowers or objects or river they used to replicate it in a distorted way making the image look like it is in mosaic form.

TAPSU

DORU

LEHRI

GULAB

TEMPLE

SWASTIK

MOTIFS Like kangu design replicates comb, lehri would replicate leher(waves), akhroti would replicate walnuts, daabi Gulab would replicate chhoti gulaab(small rose).

CHASAM

AKHROT

KINGRI JALA

KINGRI

KINGRI TEEN PATTI

BUSINESS STRUCTURE OF BHUTTICO

Distribution Channels Bhuttico has 31 outlets spread across Himachal Pradesh. They ensure that their products have a reach on many major tourist destinations in Himachal. Their outlets help them stand out from the crowd. They don’t distribute to the local market. Initially started with a workforce Bhuttico have a good organizational structure for ensuring proper orchestration of their activities from raw material, work force to the final product which reaches the market.

of 23 weavers, it has grown to a huge establishment being able to produce and store large quantities of produce.

Their reach to customers in the online medium is weak.

Key Partners Bhuttico Weavers Society is a semi- Government Organization. A semiGovernment structure has many benefits to ensure its functioning.

Value Propositions They have demand

Benefits such as allowances, subsidies, medical facilities, pay, and

They can take huge orders

pension. Workers are also paid a bonus salary for experience and extra

They have good foreign trade relations

work. They receive subsidies from Government organizations like NHDC

Testing labs for testing yarn purity

which imports merino wool from Australia.

A proper organizational structure- People have more specific works, not all-rounders or one person managing many things.

Bhuttico shawls have become a brand and trusted all around the

Key Activities

world, with many national and international exhibitions as well

They Believe and work towards producing the best produce of the lot, to

as trade relations.

the markets in terms of quality of the yarns as well as the fine weaving

The society also holds an ISO 9001: 2015 certificate for quality

and craftsmanship. Having a reputation for shawls all around Himachal

practices conforming to international standards and markets its

Pradesh which they earned over a long time of experience, effort, and

products via thirty-one outlets under its trademark.

unique methods in analyzing the quality of threads and also ensuring a

Indian ministry of textiles has acknowledged its expertise in the

proper workspace and accommodation to their workforce.

field.

YARNS

YARNS

TYPES OF YARNS MAINLY USED TO MAKE KULLU SHAWLS ·Merino wool with size varying 17 to 24 microns ·Angora wool with size varying 12 to 14 microns ·Local sheep wool with size varying 26 to 30 microns Other than these some mixed yarns like poly-wool with the ratio of 60:40 are also used to make the shawls to make it more affordable.

Good quality yarn will be the one in which there are a minimum of 22 microns in 2 meters length.

AVAILABILITY OF YARNS IN KULLU Due to fewer machines and technology available in Kullu, the agencies need to buy the yarns from Ludhiana or Kolkata, which adds to the cost of buying yarn.

The type of yarn produced in Kullu itself is the local sheep wool and angora wool which is made out of angora rabbit hair. It is reared in the local farms of Kullu.

BUYING YARNS Raw Merino wool is imported in Ludhiana and Kolkata from Australia. Then in the factories, it is spun into yarns. Some are hand-spun some are machinespun depending on what thickness do they want the yarn to be. It will be coarse if hand-spun and finer when the machine spins. The longer the fiber the finer the yarn.

Then it goes for the dyeing process that is mostly bright colors as they give the main essence of Kullu shawls.

So, all this process from import till drying of the colored yarns and selling it to the agencies takes approximately 3 months’ time duration.

The merino wool costs them rupees 1700/kg.

LAB TESTING PROCESS When the wool reaches the agency, it goes under the lab testing process. ·What count will it provide ·Purity test ·Smoothness of the yarn ·Rubbing test ·Weight test ·Micron test In the lab under the microscope, they check that ·On making the fabric out of the particular yarn how much thread count will it provide. ·In the purity test, they check whether the seller has mixed some other yarn in it or is it pure. ·The yarn they get is either smooth or rough as the fabric will be of the same quality as yarn. ·In the rubbing test, they rub the yarn and check whether the color is bleeding. ·It is done to estimate the weight of the fabric. ·Through micron tests we can see how fine or coarse the fiber is.

THREAD COUNT The total number of warp and weft threads in 1 square inch of the fabric determines the thread count.

The lesser the thread count the thicker the thread will be.

220 thread count will be used in making pattu, long coats.

272-290 thread count will be used to make shawls and stoles.

248-256 thread count for export of shawls, stole, and gents loi with sizes 50x100 in, 45x90 in, and 55x110 in respectively.

MANUFACTURING PROCESS

RAW MATERIAL: For Bhuttico (Kullu factory) the raw material is imported brought in from Jayshree khugli, Kolkata and Bansal and Jash industries, Ludhiana.

Imported wool is already dyed and then spun into yarn later.

TESTING: The wool purity, softness, thickness, color, twist degree, and abrasion of the wool are tested through various machines for quality check.

SPINNING YARN: The spinning of yarn is done manually as well as through a Nadi binder machine as shown in the pictures below. The baana thread is ready now.

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SETTING UP THE WARP (TAANA BAANA MACHINE): Yarn is released from the cones (taana stand) threaded through a wired heeled rolled onto a large machine called taana trunk and is finally wound up on a warp beam. Yarn is rolled onto the drum according the the product requirement(length and width). During the process sandha is used to keep the threads untangled.

In households and factories charkha is still used alongside modern machines. Taana(warp) is ready now.

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WEAVING: To begin weaving the shuttle is filled with weft (baana thread) yarn i.e nadi. The shuttle is then passed through the warp yarn building the fabric thread by thread on a handloom weaving machine which requires the craftsmen to work with their hands as well as through their feet using the paddles on the machine below.

CONCLUSION

Kullu shawls have been famous for their handloom weaving, geometrical patterns, and bright colors. They are mostly made of merino wool, angora wool, and local sheep wool. An eco-friendly craft that is not only brewing in the national as well as international market.

They are well known to have geometrical designs at both ends. These shawls may also have floral designs which may run all over. Products made from this craft are not only used locally but also exported internationally such as UK, USA, GERMANY, RUSSIA, SWITZERLAND, CHINA, NEPAL, JAPAN. A comparative study of the craft and community in Kullu and Manali connects the dots of the craft's journey. The export market has been a big opportunity for the craftsmen as it opened a huge doorway for sales. The craft has been nurturing and is getting recognition all over the world.

Bibliography

https://hpgeneralstudies.com/the-economy-of-district-kullu-himachal-pradesh/ https://himalayankraft.in/fake-kullu-shawl/ http://www.craftclustersofindia.in/site/index.aspx?mu_id=5&id=152 https://medium.com/@noopurshalini/textiles-of-india-d9f5e5310dc6 http://raftmaestros.com/blog/why-the-kullu-and-kinnauri-shawls-are-popular-in-india