Craft Cluster- Kullu Craft Study

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Acknowledgment

We take this oppotunity to express our gratirude and deep regards to our guide, Professor Deepak Joshi and mentor Amit Rana for his guidence, monitoring and constant encouragement throughout the project. The things learned from him shall be carried by us forever, on the journey of gaining professionalism and knowledge on which we proceed.

We are obliged to the cource design of NIFT, for giving us this great opportunity to explore far beyond textual knowledge,into the exciting and much tough world of reality . Through this initiative we were also able to realize the importance of our culture and could help in preserving it.

Lastly, we thank almighty, our parents, siblings, and friends for their constant encouragement without which this assignment woul not be possible.

Divya Katiyar Mansi Singh Morina Sharma Nayan Nikhare Pal Narendra Naresh Kumar Poonam Kumari Soni Prabhakar

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The Creatives

DIVYA

MANSI

NARENDRA

MORINA

POONAM

NAYAN

SONI

Dedicated to learn, grow and do, this team is made us of bunch of creatives mind s working together in one direction. With a balance of work and play and touch of crazyness the team menbers are directed to know more about crafts and to help in securing the future of our craft..

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PREFACE

In order to understand the crafts and textile of Kullu Region, a visit to the place was arranged. This document is written to generate more awareness and promote the traditional textile of the region.

The various topics covered in the document emphasize the uniqueness of each craft and every individual engaged in this field. The essence of the traditional textiles is created through some incredible elements we explored during this whole venture.

When we look at the dynamics of Kullu shawl industry, it could be easily realized why this regional craft is so much beloved to the local people. There are some unexplored parts of the textile that are waiting to be explored. The relevance to gain enough knowledge about the manufacturing process of a product is needed to understand the design part accurately.

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Table of Content

SPECIAL THANKS GMDIC KULLU

We thanks GMDIC, Kullu; Pawan Bhardwaj for his guidence and support. He made us confronted with the current scenerio of the Kullu Textile, given us the contact and explained all the big and small firms, villages where weavers are working in houses and every bits and bite.

His efforts to impart the imformation was a big relief, and a smooth beggning. It reduced our stress and solve the firts level of visit, from there we were able to find the connections and the long chain of weavers, artisans, well explained process, manufacturers, and small scale industry workers.

Pawan Bhardwaj GMDIC, Kullu 9816047885

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Kullu at a Glance Kullu Map Place to Visit History and Origin Cuisines Festivals and Religion Music and Dance Art and Craft

2 6 8 10 18 20 24 28

Kullu Textiles History and Origin Process Techniques Motif

30 34 36 40 42

Craftsmen 46 Problems and struggle 48 Artisans Profile

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Our Initative Project I Project II Project III

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Conclusion Bibliography

64 65

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KULLU AT A GLANCE

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Introduction To Kullu

Long regard by the ancient Hindus as the furthest limit of human habitation - Kulantapitha - its original name is mentioned even in the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. Kullu is famous for its Dussehra celebrations as also for its Red Delicious, Royal Delicious and Golden Delicious apples.

Each season has its special charm as do the helpful and charming people of this valley.

Kullu is world-wide famous for its beautiful scenic valley and cool and pleasant environment. Kullu valley lies between the Pir Panjal and Dhauladhar ranges. It is believed that waters of the river Beas created the wide Kullu valley. Earlier Kullu was known as ‘Kulluth’ and ‘Kulanthapitha’. The famous village Malana which is known as the oldest democracy in the world is also situated in Kullu districtSurrounded by high peaked snow capped mountains makes Kullu valley look really beautiful and mesmerizing. Kullu is situated at a height of 1200 metres..

Kullu valley is popularly known as the ‘SILVER VALLEY’ because of the high fertilty of land .

Numerous temples grace the bhoomi of Kullu.Religious, asthetic feel, people and their golden heart all together makes Kullu A DELIGHT.

Kullu Population and Literacy Rates

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206,716

ullu, “ the Valley of the Gods”, situated on the banks of the Beas river and fringed by Deodar trees, it is truly akin to paradise.

Total Population

80.02%

Literacy Rates

87.68% Male Literacy Rate

71.94%

Female Literacy Rate

Kullu Tehsil of Kullu district has total population of 206,716 as per the Census 2011. Out of which 106,128 are males while 100,588 are females. In 2011 there were total 44,056 families residing in Kullu Tehsil.

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How to

Reach

“

The journey to an unknown place and coming back with so much knowledge, experience and memories and yet we are out of words to describe our encounter with such a beautiful hill station-Kullu.

Our mind and souls are still spellbound with the colours, and crafts we explored during our venture of few days. And the essence of Kullu could still be felt through the elements we collected throughout our voyage and one thing we learnt is to never let your enthusiasm and excitement fade away until your explore the unexplored.

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By Air You can reach this prominent hill station in Himachal by air. The nearest airport is Bhuntar, around 50 km from Manali.

Kingfisher Airlines and Air India have flight services from Delhi, Chandigarh, Shimla and Leh to Bhuntar. Indian Airlines is another major operator. There are flight disruptions during monsoons.

Kullu lies at a distance of 10 km from the airport.

By Train Being a hilly region, there is no railway station in Manali. There are train services from Delhi to Jogindernagar and Pathankot. The distance from Pathankot to Kullu is around 285 km and from Jogindernagar around 126 km. There are railway stations at Shimla and Kalka for the convenience of tourists.

By Road Many vacationers prefer to travel by road to Kullu, especially from Delhi. You can hire cabs or opt for Volvo buses plying daily from New Delhi, covering a distance of 522 km. This region also has good connectivity with Ambala, Chandigarh, Shimla, Dalhousie and other districts through regular bus services of Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation.

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Places to Visit

Kullu valley is located in Himachal Pradesh, near the beautiful hill station of Shimla. The River Beas in Kullu, is popular for rafting of all grades of rapids, for amateurs, tourists as well as trained and professional rafters.

End of April to June and September to October are the best months for rafting in Kullu.

There are several attractive places in kullu manali such as:

Manikaran

Manikaran is famous for its hot sulphur springs, which are situated near the River Penal. The water lof these springs is believed to have medicinal properties. Manikaran is a popular pilgrimage place of both Hindus and Sikhs.

Sultanpur Palace

Sultanpur Palace is one of the major attractions of the Kullu valley. It houses some beautiful miniature paintings done in Kullu style, with simple themes such as rural backgrounds, without human figures in them.

Hadimba temple

Hadimba temple, away from the hustle and bustle of city life, is a peaceful place surrounded by towering deodar trees. The temple is dedicated to Hidimba, the wife of Bhima, one of the five Pandava prince from the great Indian epic Mahabharata.

The main attraction of the temple is the three day Hidimba Devi Festival, which attracts devotees from all over the world and features colourful folk dance performance

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HISTORY AND ORIGIN

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Ancient Metal Work

Historical Perspective

History of Kullu District also suggests the origin of its name. It says that Kullu derives its name from `Kalut` which was a tribe in the upper valley of River Beas, as mentioned by Barahmir in Barihat Sahinta. There are other evidences in history and literature that confirm that the name of this part was `Kalut` and the letter `T` was eventually dropped from the name with the passage of time.

Thus, this place got its present name Kullu.

The ancient seat of the kings of Kullu was at Naggar Castle, about 12 km north of the present town, and thought to have been built in the early 17th century by Raja Sidh Sing.

Raja Jagat Singh (1637–72) moved the capital in the middle of the 17th century to its present position, and called it Sultanpur.

The Royal compound consists of the “Rupi Palace, several temples, and a long narrow bazaar descending the hill.”

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t was one of the oldest ancient states after kangra or Kashmir.

Chinese Pilgrims said that before independence Kullu was basically known as Kiu-lu situated in the Northern Himalayans. It is also believed that this place was firstly found in the first century of Christ era. They are so many kings in this district which ruled the state for long time the last king of Kullu was Raja Jagat Singh in the 17th century..

The history of this region may be traced to a period anterior to the Ramayan age. The discovery of ancient coins may establish existence of a regular administrative system of the Kuloots as early as the first century BCE. The archaeological and literary evidences belonging to this area do affirm that Buddhism had an influential sway in this region as early as the CE 2nd century.

The Kullu Valley has attracted notice of many explorers, scholars and administrators since the colonial period. Most of them have written at length on the scenic grandeur of the valley, but casually noticed its architectural and archaeological aspects. It was Captain A.F.P. Harcourt, who took note of the architectural grandeur of the temples in the main Kullu Valley. He remained an Assistant Commissioner of Kullu, then a sub-division of Kangra district, from 1869 to 1871. In his pioneering work The Himalayan Districts of Kooloo, Lahul and Spiti, he gave a classification of wooden temples of Kullu.

The British took all of Kangra and Kullu from the Sikhs in 1846. It is still used as home by the royal descendants, but the more ancient Naggar Castle was sold to the British.

Himachal Pradesh is one of the great states of India that makes Indians proud with its amazing architecture, natural beauty, arts and crafts such as painting, stone carving, jewelries, metal works.

Metal works is the centuries old craft which is still popular in Himachal Pradesh with the name Mohra. The metal work called mohras represents deities like—Lord Shiva and others which are most commonly found in Kullu and Chamba.

The metal craft or metal work made in Himachal Pradesh usually signifies the unique jewelleries prepared by the expert metal-work designers, to preserve the tradition of the Himachal Pradesh.

Many of the doors of the temples in this region are crafted with the metal, especially the Buddhists are very fond to use the metal crafts, and thus they use them in their monasteries.

The natural setting of this region, characterised by verdant valleys and towering mountains, conjures up a vision of serene ambience and natural extravaganza. It is also home to some of the finest and ancient wooden and stone temples.

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CAPTURING THE STREETS

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PEOPLE

Total Population of Kullu in 2015

437,903

Kullu had population of 437,903 of which male and female were 225,452 and 212,451

Religion wise population- KULLU Hindu Buddhist Others

2.8

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Life of mountains is not so easy.

The fairs, customs, food habits, beliefs, attire and occupation explicate the hard-earned lifestyle of the aborigines. The customs and rituals practiced in the valley depict the simple lifestyle of the natives, living close to nature.

The people of Kullu are primarily into agriculture, but now a majority of them have gone into other occupations such as tourism, the handloom industry and other fields.

As of 2011 India census, Sex ratio of kullu is 942 females per 1000 males which is higher than national sex ratio . The average literacy rate of kullu is 79.40% whereas male literacy rate is 87.39% and female literacy rate is 70.91%.

The men wear long coats with pants and a cap. They sometimes carry a shawl or wear it around their shoulders. The women wear a ‘pattoo’ which is a long gown that’s bound at the waist by a cloth belt. A cloth is used to cover their head and they too wear thick, bright shawls.

Transportation is easy to intra-towns through well connected roadways and bus facilities.

These buses take people to all the important places at very nominal prices.

Tourism is a crucial part for the valley. Thus, people can converse in both Hindi and English, although the local language of the region is Pahari.We see both the natives as well as tourists on the streets of Kullu. People of the region welcome the guest with good hospitality and warmth and offer the best they can.

WALKING ON THE STREETS OF KULLU CAN BE MESMERISING TO ONE IN A VERY SERINE YET NORMAL WAY. THE VALLEY OF GODS, THEY SAY, IS TRUE BECAUSE IN EVERY HUMAN, THERE RESIDES A DIVINE ENTITY THAT IS TRUELY PURE. THIS IS NOT JUST WHAT A FEW FEEL THIS WAY, BUT ALMOST ALL WHO VISIT AND STAY THERE.

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CUSINES

Himachal Pradesh apart from being blessed wibreathtaking natural beauty, is also a tasteful blend of exquisite pahari cuisine that gives any traveller more than just one reason to fall in love with this beautiful mountains dotted state. One can clearly see that the Himachali dishes have a lot of influence of Punjabi and Tibetan style of food Breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner are called nhuari, klar, dapohri and byali respectively.

Tea is the most popular drink served at any time.

Season Richness The availability of vegetables is a challenge in the hilly and cold terrain of Himachal. Hence, most of the traditional dishes are either non-vegetarian or make use of different types of lentils or both . Our pahari folks also use a lot of dairy products, especially buttermilk, curd and ghee to make their food even more delectable.

No festivities of this “Divine Land” are considered complete without Dham. In functions and marriages cooking and serving is done in the traditional way which is called ‘Dham’. Thus, menu is same in almost every function. It is a dish prepared by the Brahmins. They cook red kidney beans (rajma), green lentils (moong daal) and rice in curd. It is traditionally served on plates made out of leaves. Sidu 18

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is another charm of this region.It is a local bread made from wheat flour. This distinct bread is usually enjoyed with ghee or butter alone or can be savoured with mutton or daal as well. Himachal Pradesh promises a great number of non-vegetarian delicacies. Kullu trout is a famous dish of Kullu region which is prepared with trout fish. The marinated fish is cooked in the minimal spices to keep the nutrients and the original taste of Trout intact. The dish is best coupled with the number of boiled vegetables, and hence it remains one of the healthiest delicacies of Himachal Pradesh. People of Kullu Valley also make wine from barley and red rice in their houses, which is known as ‘Chakti’ and ‘Lugri’ respectively.

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Occasions to Grace The traditions and rituals followed in the valley portray the simple lifestyle of the people and the relationship they have with nature. The fairs and festivals celebrated in the valley are an indispensable part of the native ethos. These vibrant fairs carry great religious and economic importance for the native people. These customs and rituals portray the innocence of the inhabitants and the devotion with which they are performed.

This makes them unique.

The natives of Kullu valley have developed enduring faith in the Supreme Being. Any vital decision they take is directed by the God’s will.

Be it marriage fixing, starting a new business or construction of a house. People advance every step of their life only after seeking permission of the deities. A person who is a communicating link between the God and people is called ‘The Gur’. It is believed that the spirit of deity enters the Gur and predicts the future and promises to help people in time of need. People acquaint him with their difficulties and get answers.

The folk legends also evident that gods used to reside on their foreland. It is said that Kullu was the home of Lord Raghunath Ji - the presiding deity of the area and is hence, referred to as the ‘ Valley of the Gods’ . It has many pilgrimage sites for Hindus, Sikhs, and Buddhists. The people here have a rich cultural heritage, and their traditional customs are evident in all of their ceremonies, especially the famous seven-day festival of Kullu Dussehra. The valley is awell renowed for its grand Dussehra celebrations; the festival of triumph of good over evil. Kullu Dussehra was declared an international event in 1972 and is witnessed by around 4-5 Lac people from across the globe.

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The fair of the Valley shows the rich cultural heritage of the valley. These fairs carry huge religious worth and preserve a rich heritage native’s belief in marvelous powers. During these fairs, the spirit of kullu is visible on the faces og gay people. These simple rural folks take delight in songs, dances, laughter and celebration.

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Winter Carnival

Spring Festival (Pipal Jatra)

Winter carnival is the most awaited event in the valley. This festival has been declare a state level festival. Massive participation by culture groups and students from various colleges of India marks the success of winter carnival. The festival is held at ‘Manu Kala Kendra’ in Manali. Second and third weeks of January in Manali are a feast for the visitors when the five-day long festival is held. The performers try to show their excellence and give their level best. It provides opportunities to the artists to prove themselves.

Competitions conducted include Indian classical music (vocal and instrumental), folk songs, folk dances, classical dances, group dances, group songs, fancy dress, film songs, film dances, one act plays, and street plays. The most awaited competitions are Men’s personality contest and Winter Queen contest. First day of the festival is something to behold. First day tablos are presented by various cultural groups, which is also a competitive item. The rest four days are equally inviting, offering you a substantial variety of programs. On the last day of the carnival, finals of Winter Queen contest and Men’s Personality contest are held. On the last day, the chief guest distributes prizes to the victorious participants of the five-day long festival.

Spring festival is also called Basantotsava or Pipal-Jatra and takes place at Dhalpur ground Kullu from 28th April to 30th April. This fair has been declared a state festival by the Himachal Pradesh government. As it marks the beginning of the spring season (and also the tourist season) in the valley, it is also known as Spring Festival. Kullu is known as the valley of gods. The villages have their own gods and goddesses. It is said that in olden days, the King (or the Raja) used to sit in the Dhalpur ground with his courtiers under the Pipal Tree to look at the traditional dances. Earlier 16 Gods used to participate in the fair, but as the years rolled by, the fair lost its grandeur. Every night during the festival, cultural programs are performed by the various cultural groups at Kala Kendra which is a big open-air theater. The cultural groups and reputed artists come from all over India to perform in the festival.

Fairs

The fairs carry enormous religious worth and preserve a rich heritage native’s belief in divine powers. During these fairs, the spirit of Kullu is visible on the faces of gay people. They visit their relatives to greet them.

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Women Folk Dances Charasay-Tarasay: This dance is also called Birshu-Nirshu. It is performed in the months of March and April.

Only married women can take part in it. Any number of dancers can participate. This dance is performed only on the songs and the musical instruments are not played. It starts in the evening and ends in the morning.

Music and Dance

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ullu folk dances reflect rich cultural heritage, vibrant life style, love, hard work and the struggle of local people to survive in the adversaries. Kullu people are very fond of dance.They are prompt to dance on occasions like, fairs and festivals.

The Folk Dances of Kullu can be broadly grouped as-

Women folk dance Lalharhi: Only unmarried women perform this dance during fairs and marriage ceremonies. The dance is accompanied only by songs. The musical instruments aren’t played during the dance.

The dancers arrange themselves in two rows facing each other. One of the rows starts singing, dancing and moves towards the other row. Then they come back to their previous positions. The other row of dancers follow the same step.

Kahika Dance: Kahika dance is performed on the occasion of Kahika fair. A man is made unconscious for one or two hours by the divine power. He is called ‘Naurh’. The wife of Naurh, called Naurhan performs this dance. She dances around the temple in front of the palanquin of the local deity. Her dance expresses that she has offered her husband to the deity and if he does not return back to consciousness, she will take away all the belongings of the deity.

Men Folk Dances Bandhu or Ghost Dance: This dance takes place in January from 4: 00 A.M. to 6: 00 A.M. Because of indecent songs and indecent behavior, which are an essential part of the dance, women are forbidden to see it. The dancers get together in the temple premises with torches in their hands. After dancing there for some time they move to a particular place. They dance at that place and move back to the temple. They light a campfire called ‘Jagra’ before the temple. It is believed that after performing the Bandhu dance the entire evil spirits ward off and the people of the village live in peace and harmony.

Horn Dance: It is a traditional dance of Kullu people, which is performed, in the cold and dark nights of January. The story behind it is that the people performed this dance to get rid of an evil king. He was so enchanted by the dance that he did not realize that the dancers had cut his throat. There are six dancers in the horn dance. Two of them disguise themselves as a deer by covering themselves with a shawl and placing horns on the head of the person who is in front. Two other dancers are dressed up as clowns. Out of the rest one is dressed up as a woman. They perform the dance in the temple and then go door to door performing their act.

Deo Khel & Hulki Dance: Deo Khel is a religious dance. The person who is dancing is believed that he goes into trance (that God has entered his body). This person is called Gur. .

Hulki Dance is similar to Deo Khel.

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KULLU CRAFT

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Kullu Crafts The art and craft of boost tourism in Kullu-Manali, while a beautiful park and other infrastructure would be developed on the land to provide better facilities to tourists.

Travel to Himachal which representes its highland culture through it arts and crafts, making it an inevitable destination to sojourn. Due to its topographical distinction from the rest of the country, Himachal Pradesh in India has developed a unique tradition of handicrafts. Look for statues made out of stone and metal, or enjoy buying some hand made wooden dolls. For all those who are interested in accessories, in Himachal you can see the celebrated jewellery and there are woolen garments and the ubiquitous Himachali caps and shawls. Those who think Kashmir is the ultimate destination for carpets and rugs – think again. Himachal too has its own collection to flaunt. Leather craft, embroidery and paintings are some famous handicrafts items that you should see in Himachal Pradesh.

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ullu is the land of beauty and culture heritage and one should visit Himachal Pradesh to see the various arts and crafts that through ages have won the hearts of millions.

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Take up tours of Himachal Pradesh to see the various arts and crafts of Himachal Pradesh where you cannot miss the famous shawls and caps of the state. Wool is considered to be a pious accessory in Himachal. This fact is well proven by the fact that woolen shawls are used during weddings to wrap the bride and groom in the shawls, in order to protect them from evil eyes. The most celebrated craft of the state and also the most important shopping items can be seen in the Himachal caps. These caps, that are omnipresent on the heads of the Himachali people, is a sign of their pride.

Notice the intricately embroidered motifs and the hand spun yarns, that emboss Himalayan textiles and Tibetan art.

The most celebrated craft of the state can be seen in the Himachal caps. These caps, that are omnipresent on the heads of the Himachali people, is a sign of their pride. Notice the intricately embroidered motifs and the hand spun yarns, that emboss Himalayan textiles and Tibetan art.

The chill of the region has induced people to indulge into making shawls that are also known as Thapada. These are extensively embroidered and are an exclusive Himachal Pradesh belonging. Made specifically in Kullu you can get a chance to see artists busy in its weaving, while roaming on the labyrinths of Kullu. Another important variety of shawls produced in Himachal Pradesh is the Pashmina that is an expensive item. Available in various colors and designs these shawls are an important representation of the Tibetan and Himachal acculturation of the state. Enjoy a holiday in Himachal Pradesh and indulge in shopping for arts and crafts in Himachal Pradesh

Metal craft The skilled metal craftsmen of Kullu and its adjoining areas cherish a rich tradition of metal crafts.

These craftsmen produce beautiful masks, chariots and palanquins of the Gods and Goddesses, Traditional ornaments, local household articles of rural people and the traditional musical instruments played during cultural occasions.

The craftsmen follow the traditional manual method. These methods include casting, engraving, ornamenting etc. the metals used are silver, brass and copper. The metal craft of Kullu depicts the local flora and fauna in their designs. The excellent carvings depict Gods and Goddesses, episodes from epics etc.

Wood craft The woodcarvings in temples have excellent classical perfection. Manali and Prashar are full of beautiful temples carved out of wood. The eminent German scholar Hermann Goetz has described these temples in his book on the early temples of Chamba, as outstandingly stunning works of fine art.The rural traditional craft of woodcarving is of less technical perfection but alive with the rural

spirit. It primarily depicts local flora and fauna.

People decorate their exteriors and interiors mainly with these carvings.

These days, carvings are also done for interior decoration of the houses. The contemporary woodcraft exhibits the sophistication of the old carvings. The mesmerizing articles of woodcraft are made on both tender and legendary basis.

Driftwood Artists in Kullu There are many amateurs in the valley who collect drift wood out of their curiosity and delight. Besides them, the people well- known in the valley for their skill and commercial production of driftwood articles are Pandit Durga Prasad Rao and Kuldeep Dhiman.

Pottery Clay pottery is also one of the oldest and traditional crafts of Kullu Valley. Initially it was the skill of Kangra valley, but now it is practiced all over Himachal Pradesh. The artist puts in his imagination to create different clay products. The artisan is locally known as ‘Kumahar’.

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Kullu Handloom Craft Handicrafts and handlooms are the cultural heritage of the Himachal Pradesh and all-important part of the lives of Kulluites. There is an amazing range of beautiful handloom and handicraft products in Kullu. The famous Kullu shawls are admired for their elegant look. Kullu caps are widely worn by the local people and are also equally popular among tourists.

And also the traditional colors of the handlooms probably manifest the people zests for life and creation.

The various handicrafts and handlooms of Kullu includes patti, gudmas, namdas, pullas, basketry, himachali cap, kullu shawls, pattoos

Patti: Another allied craft is the weaving of tweed cloth called coats (Cholas) etc.

Namdas: Also known as “felted wool” is made by

beating rather than weaving the wool Namdas were once very popular but they are now almost vanishing as craft.

Gudmas: Blankets and bags are made from the

Handloom Crafts Patti Namdas Gudmas Pullans Basketry Handloom Products Himachli Cap Pattoos Kullu Shwals

wool of the ‘Giangi’ sheep and usually come in natural colors with borders made in red and black. The blankets are called ‘Gudma’ and are woven especially in the Kullu valley as this place has a special kind of clay that is used to clean and finish a ‘Gudma’.

and the end does not cover the head. It’s both ends are pinned just below the shoulders on the front with local silver broaches having long chains and called ‘boomini’ in the local dialect.

Kullu Shawls: Kullu Shawls occupy a place of

pride in the handicrafts of the district. Like the juicy red delicious and golden apples, these exquisite specimens of art adoring the fair damsels of this fairyland, are becoming increasingly popular as precious souvenirs for the tourists. are used as bed blankets. The peculiar use to which they are put to by women folk is like a sari with the difference that the folds are in the front and the end does not cover the head. It’s both ends are pinned just below the shoulders on the front with local silver broaches having long chains and called ‘boomini’ in the local dialect.

The pattoo is tied round the waist with a piece of cloth called ‘Gachi’. The designs brilliantly coloured and in tune with the gay nature of the people, come in the front and make the costumes extremely colourful, lively and picturesque.

Pullans: ‘Pullans’, foot-wears like the bed-room

slippers, made out of the fibres of ‘bhang’ are handcrafted. The bottom of the footwear is made of the ‘bhang’ fibre whereas the upper is made of goat hair called ‘shell’ and bhang fibre. Very colourful designs are prepared for the upper. It is warm footwear and is used inside the room also.

Basketry: Baskets in Himachal are made of a high altitude species of bamboo called ‹nargal›.

Himachal’s Caps: It would be both apt and hot to say that Himachal’s cap has done a commendable job of keeping a headcount of the tradition of Himachal and its people. Kullu cap is an extremely colourful headgear, made of a woollen cloth with variety of colourful band of Shaneel around it.

Pattoos: Pattoos are thicker and heavier than

shawls. Ordinary thick and rough once called ‹Dohru› are used as bed blankets. The peculiar use to which they are put to by women folk is like a sari with the difference that the folds are in the front 30

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KULLU TEXTILE

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Introduction to Kullu Textile It is said that weaving has been practiced in Himachal Pradesh for at least 5,000 years.4 Master weaver Dhuni Chand stated that the art of weaving decorative motifs on wool garments began in the Kinnauri village Shubnam, and that the craft came to Kinnaur from Tashkent, in Uzbekistan, via China and Tibet.5 The fact that Kinnauri weaving was influenced as a result of their location along this busy trade route is evident in many of their traditional motifs, such as the diwar-e-chine (great wall of China).

One can say that Kinnauri weaving is the predecessor of the style of weaving for which Kullu is famous. The Kinnauri style of weaving was first introduced to Kullu valley in the 1830s when weavers from Rupa village in Kinnaur fled to the Kullu valley to escape persecution by the local king. AAfter migrating to the Kullu valley, these weavers continued their craft and were given incentives to teach their patterning techniques to the Kulluvi people. Decoration in Kulluvi weaving, prior to the arrival of the Kinnauris, was restricted to variations in twill weave, checks, and plaids. Their shawls and pattus were devoid of any kind of motifs. Border patterning, as well as the red selvedge border known as the khanni or khushti first appeared on pattus in the 1920s, ‘ o about 93 years after the Kinnauris migrated to the Kullu Valley. The intricate patterns decorating the ends of the Kinnauri chhanli, lengcha and dohru were the source of inspiration for Kulluvi motifs. The bright, bold patterns for which Kulluvi shawls and pattus (traditional Kulluvi women’s outer garment) have become famous originated from Kinnauri motifs that were enlarged and simplified over time.9 Although the weaving techniques of Kinnaur and Kullu are almost identical, the bright, almost florescent, colors and bold, graphic style that have become the hallmark of Kullu weaving are definitely unique and separate from those of Kinnauri weaving.

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Techniques

There are several types of looms used for weaving in Kullu and Kinnaur. Traditional looms are the PIT LOOM, MUFFLER LOOM THE BORDER LOOM.

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A pit loom can be found in almost every household in the region. Weavers that use a pit loom generally weave their shawls and pattus in handspun deshkar or bihang. Locals prefer pattus and shawls woven on a pit loom and in handspun yarn, as the fabric produced is denser and therefore tougher and warmer. (The non-household industry of the Western Himalayan region largely depends / upon imported “throw- shuttle” and fly-shuttle frame looms. The fly-shuttle has the advantage of accelerated production and produces a more uniform fabric. A weaver using a fly shuttle-loom can produce a shawl or pattu in 2 - 3 days, which is equal to about two. Produce the same bright colors as their toxic predecessors, the brighter colors tend to not ‘ 7R ‘ be color faster Two responses to these problems began to emerge. Some, if not most, (weavers started to use acrylic instead of wool yarn for the colored borders. By using acrylic yarns, the weavers were able to retain their traditional color schemes and did not have to worry about the product deteriorating after washing or fading over time. The other trend that developed was that weavers who did not wish to use acrylic yarns began (to use wool yarns in more subdued shades and incorporated colors heretofore not used. In some cases, even the seven-color format has been disregarded. Some weavers have even begun to weave traditional motifs in monochromatic colors rather than the traditional seven-color palette (albeit they still usually use seven shades of the same color). This (change, in particular, has dramatically altered the look of Kullu shawls in the market today. It has been the tradition in both Kullu and Kinnaur to weave the base of the shawl in natural wool, which is either off-white, grey, fawn, dark brown or black. This custom (however, has been altered over time in response to the commercial market, so now many ( shawls are woven with a colored ground.

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Process The process of shawl weaving consists of making of reels from Ruffle, Pashmina and Angora wool yarn first.

In case of the pitloom, the warp is made manually by winding it around peg- stands separated by a definite amount of distance. The drafting and denting of the ends is done by pulling them through the thread healds and the reed with the help of fingers. The warp is then set onto the loom, its ends are tied and its tension adjusted as per the requirement The warp for the fly shuttle flame loom is wound on the warping machine. It is transferred to the warp beam under tension, which is then put on the loom for drafting

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and denting. The warp ends are drafted and dented with a reed hook, the loom tie-ups and tension are re- adjusted and the loom is geared up for weaving

The basic structure for the shawl is 2/2 twill woven on a straight or pointed drafting order. The surface texture could be as follows: • Straight lifting plan woven on a straight drafting plan to give diagonal lines.

• Pointed lifting plan woven on a straight drafting plan to give vertical zigzag.

• Straight lifting plan woven on a pointed drafting plan to give a horizontal wavy pattern.

• Pointed lifting plan woven on a pointed drafting plan to give a diamond shaped.

The decorative border of the shawls is always woven in a basket weave with the dove- tailing or slit- tapestry techniques. The colored graph of the design to be woven is used as a reference and the number of ends per design is considered.

Cut lengths of the colored acrylic wool threads are placed in the warp in 2- 3 plys. The technique used to produce the pattern is intertwining or the ‘dove- tailing’ technique also referred as the tapestry weave.

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Traditional methods of production of KULLU SHAWLS

Raw Materials

The chief material for shawls is wool. Generally yarns used are of 100% wool but blended with angora, local wool, Pashmina and synthetic yarns are also used. Besides the mill spun yarn hand spun yarn are also in use.

The tradition of wool weaving in Himachal Pradesh is of very ancient origin. lts exquisite textiles are characterised by colourful, geometrica I borders woven in tapestry weave over a twill ground in natural shades of wool. Since cent{ries, the people of Kullu have been known ro weave: . Pattu- A Woollen fabric draped by women like a sarong. . Dohru- A Woollen fabric worn by the women also draped like a sarong, though in a different style than the pattu. .

Shawl- A light Woollen fabric draped around the shoulders and chest by women. . chaddar- A gents shawl. . Patti- Localtwee.d used for coats, iackets and trousers. . Tweed- Worsted .fabric generally woven in stripes or checks used for coats, iackets and trousers. Man learnt weaving frop spiders and sparrow tailor bird.,The woollen yarn is procured in cone form frr-,m the mill spinning unit and further wound onto various bobbins for making the warp. method of ureaving a Kullu Shawl. Kullu Shawls In the case of the pitloom, the warp is made manually by winding it around peg stands separated by a certain amount of distance. The drafting and denting of the ends is done by pulling them through the thread healds and the reed with the help of fingers. The warp is then set onto the loom, its ends are tied and its tension adjusted as per the requirement and then weaving is done by inserting weft threads by hand with the help of shuttle and deiign is createrd manually by inserting design threads as per the design graph during weaving.

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The different types of wool qualities available jn Himachal pradesh are: Generally, the count of the yarn used for the body ranges from 2/44’s to 2/50,s. The count of the reed used may be 36’s, 40’s or 42’s. Most commonly, a 2/4g’s warp is woven using a reed of 42.s count-this is considered to be the ideal combination for weaving the ground fabric as well as the patterned border of the shawl

Local Wool - This is wool obtained from sheep bred in Himachal Pradesh. Most of them are migratory. In summer, the n :1”:Litter from the villages in the lower plains to the higher up Himalayan pastures for grazing’ with the ‘Gaddies’or local shepherds. During the freezing winter months, the sheep are brought back to their villages in the lower Himalayas. These sheep are reared twice a year during autumn and spring seasons i.e. in the months of September and April. There are two distinct breeds of sheep found in the state: (1) Desi (2) Cross Breed.

Desi Breed- The different types of wool obtained from Desi sheep are; • Fine quality wool from Kinnaur district.

Staple length of fibres is 5’’-6’.

• Deshkad: Local wool of Kullu, coarser, got from sheep that do not migrate.

• Imboo: Soft wool from first shearing of the lamb.

• cross Breed : These are a cross between desi sheep and Merino. The quality of their wool is superior to the wool of the desi sheep-relatively finer in diameter and longer in staple length.

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Motif

Kinnauri designs have been inspired by the weaver’s surroundings, religion, traditions / and philosophy of life. According to Handa, Kinnauri shawls have a profound religious significance and many of the motifs represent Buddhist religious symbols

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1

BULBUL CHASM- Nightingale’s eye (dark colors around a brighter dot).

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CHABI-keys

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CHATHAM (Kinnauris) - a large cross woven in dark shades with smaller crosses at each end.

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CHHORTEN (Kinnauris) (Buddhist) - Buddhist temple in a stylized form. It is believed to keep evil spirits away.

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CHIRIYA (Kulluvi) - A bird or usually a flock of birds, formed by small crosses in various colors arranged in diagonal patterns

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DABBIDAR KIRU (Kulluvi) - spotted snake

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DIWAR-E-CHINE - “Great wall of China”. This motif was inspired by tales about China told to the Kinnauris by Tibetan traders.

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DHAR1- stripe or line.

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DORJE (Buddhist) - thunderbolt.

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GUDDI (Kulluvi) - a stylized doll with raised hands.

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PALPAY (Kinnauri) - one of the most commonly used designs, also found on the gates of Buddhist temples, formed by multicolored, interlocking squares.

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SIRHI- staircase. Symbolizes the steps to a temple, God or to Heaven.

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SWASTIK- a cross pattern with legs attached at right angles to the outer extremes. Symbolizes the cross-roads.

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Y’URA HUA GANESH / JURA HUA GANESH- interlinked swastikas.

Himachal Pradesh, the trend of patterned handloom came into existence.Typical Kullu shawls have geometrical designs on both ends. Besides geometrical designs, the shawls are also woven in floral designs, which may run all over, on the corners or on the borders only.

Each design may have one to 8 colours. Traditionally, bright colours, viz. red, yellow, magenta pink, green, orange, blue, black and

white were used for patterning and white, black and natural grey or brown were used as the base in these shawls. But in the present times keeping in mind the customer demand, these bright colours are being replaced gradually by pastel colours.

Mill spun yarn dyed in various colours is used for the ground, while a vast range of acrylic colours is used for the pattern in the border.

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WEAVERS IMAGE

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Knowing the Craftmen

There are about 20000- 22000 weavers engaged in the craft. The weavers earn Rs.20 to Rs.30 per shawl with no designs, Rs.60- Rs.500 per shawl having one traditional pattern, Rs.80- Rs.700 per shawl having two traditional patterns, Rs.80Rs.2700 per shawl having three traditional patternsl and Rs.500- Rs.1000 per shawl with designs all over. The average earning of a craftsman is from Rs.50 per day to Rs.110 per day. Their economic condition is not satisfactory as weaving a shawl is laborious and the high cost of raw- material. The handloom weavers also have to compete with the shawls from the powerloom.

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During our venture to dig out the details hidden beneath this traditional craft, we seek the help of local craftsmen and artisans to get a closer look at the craft. We met different artisans- few of them were happy with their occupation, others were satisfied with the profit they are earning and mostly were not satisfied with the earning and were facing lots of difficulties.

We met with the artisans and tried to understand their situations or conditions. We found each artist with a different story but few things were very similar among all of them. For some of them working on loom is what their paternal occupation, out of respect for this occupation they are engaged in it while for others it is a way to run their family.

Some of the artisans are educated enough that they are aware about all the beneficiary schemes the govt. of Himachal is providing them. Most of the artisans also have their ‘Artisan Card’ with them which they proudly showed us as a sign of their creativity.

Lalkumar is part of the third generation of hand loom weavers in his family. He grew up learning the craft from his maternal and paternal grandparents, and continued on his own from a young age. Lalkumar has been weaving for the last 40 years and has conducted several training sessions in the surrounding regions. Most of his shawls are commissioned from past customers, especially during winter, while others selling big at Melas and exhibitions in cities like Delhi.

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Statics

Problems faced by Artisans

Table 1- Weakness of Handicraft Artisans. .

Table 2- Form of Handicraft activity.

Table 3- Chalanges faced by Artisans.

Producer of Craft

RAW MATERIALS Traditionally, raw materials used by artisans were widely available due to the close linkages between evolution of crafts and locally available materials. Further, the jajmani system, which consisted of a reciprocal relationship between artisanal castes and the wider village community for the supply of goods and services, provided artisans with access to community resources.

However, with the breakdown of these traditional structures, along with competition from organized industry, artisans find it challenging to buy quality raw materials at affordable prices. In the absence of raw material banks, they are often forced to rely on local traders who provide them with raw materials against orders, albeit at high prices, or switch to non-traditional raw materials.

MARKETS Although techniques and processes vary widely from one craft to the next, crafts production generally takes place in households, with multiple family members engaged in different aspects of the process. Even where organized artisan structures exist, artisans typically produce within community settings.The markets for the craft products can be broadly understood as

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Artisans are the most important part of any craft.

The fanatical artisans of the Valley of Gods put their imaginations into their art. Their zest from nature and the cool environs is portrayed through their art.

The amazing handicraft of Kullu, be it the world famous Kullu-Shawl, Metal Crafts, Artistic Wood Craft, Intricate Drift-Wood or he minute arts thriving in the valley, all portrays the best of the valley.

local, retail shops – high-end as well as mainstream, exhibitions and exports. Among these, local markets are still the common markets for many artisans. The contemporary markets, domestically as well as internationally, have grown with an expanding demand for ethnic products that have a story linked to them. However, these products are in low supply due to supply chain inefficiencies.

GLOBALISATION With the advent of globalization and the availability of cheaper and more varied products, crafts face severe competition in contemporary markets. They are typically perceived as traditional, old-fashioned and antithetical to modern tastes. There have been limited efforts to reposition the image of crafts and build consumer appreciation of the history and cultural identity associated with handmade products. In addition, there are few instances of traditional crafts being contemporized to fit with changing consumption patterns.

Unorganized production – As a largely unorganized sector, handicrafts faces problems such as a paucity of professional infrastructure such as work sheds, storage space, shipping and packing facilities.

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Artisian Profile NAME- Kavita Thakur Age- 43 Profession- Manager Experience- 23 year Family Members- 6 Working In- Buttico Kavita told about how her life had changed in a good way, while working in this profession. The facilities of the weaver and other artisans, she informed that the labours are provided with many facilities including medical and paid holidays.

NAME- Sunita AGE- 38 PROFESSION- Sales lady EXPERIENCE- 10 year FAMILY MEMBERS- 7 WORKING IN- Buttico Being a sales girl at one of the main showrooms of buttico, she told us about the different types of customers and the demands made by them.

NAME- Somya AGE- 36 PROFESSION- Weaver EXPERIENCE- 14 year FAMILY MEMBERS- 6 WORKING IN- Buttico Somya shares her experience of working at the weaver’s department in buttico that how she faced difficulties while learning to work on loom at first. But now she seems to be perfect at loom.

NAME- Anita AGE- 32 PROFESSION- Weaver EXPERIENCE- 6 year FAMILY MEMBERS- 3 WORKING IN- Buttico Anita gave us so much information about the pattern she was working on.

She joined Buttico recently but had great experience which she gained while working in cottage industries.

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NAME- Prem Kumar AGE- 33 PROFESSION- Weaver EXPERIENCE- 15 year FAMILY MEMBERS- 6 WORKING IN- Neeraj Son Shawls He had been working in this sector since so long because his father was also engaged in the same occupation. He told that many of his family members are also engaged in the same field.

NAME- Devi singh AGE- 47 PROFESSION- Weaver EXPERIENCE- 18 year FAMILY MEMBERS- 6 WORKING IN- Bhagwati He is a contact based weaver and does it for more than one store. He told that there are also chances of loss in this sector specially.

NAME- Roshan AGE- 40 PROFESSION- Weaver EXPERIENCE- 10 year FAMILY MEMBERS- 6 WORKING IN- Kullu kinauri Shawls Earnings- 4-5 thousand He is basically from Nepal and wasn’t able to get an Artisan card , which left him unaware of the profits and facilities provided by the government

NAME- Meena AGE- 31 PROFESSION- Weaver EXPERIENCE- 10 year FAMILY MEMBERS- 6 WORKING IN- Kullu kinauri Shawls She told us that she made two to three shawls in a week. The earnings are not sufficient to fulfil the needs of her overall family. She doesn’t get any bonus from her workplaces.

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NAME- Pratap Sood AGE- 65 PROFESSION- Weaver EXPERIENCE- 35 year FAMILY MEMBERS- 8 WORKING IN- Kullu kinauri Shawl He has experience of 8 years and still is finding it difficult to make the both ends meet and has to go for other occupation during off seasons.

NAME- Tula Ram Age- 62 Profession- Weaver & Dyer Experience- 18 year Family Members- 6 Working in- Bhutti Its retirement! Yet he works. He works not only because he loves to practise his art everyday.

NAME- Kalavati Age- 35 Profession- Weaver Experience- 1 year Family Members- 5 Working in- Bhutti Weaving as an occupation, has given a supportive hand to her, to help her husband to run the family and to stand on her foot too.

NAME- Puspa Devi Age- 43 Profession- shopkeeper Experience- 7 year Family Members- 6 Working in- Ghepan Shawls People visit us and then keep visiting over and over. Weaved garments rule the market.

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NAME- Tedhi Singh Age- 35 Profession- Weaver Experience- 10 year Family Members- 6 Working In - contract based Occupation has faced a setback due to declined use age of handloom outside the region.

NAME- Pritam Singh AGE- 52 PROFESSION- Weaver EXPERIENCE- 20 year FAMILY MEMBERS- 7 WORKING IN- Bhutti He has been doing the same work from last 20 years and has have been successful to raise a family. With just one regret that he hadn’t been able to buy a car.

NAME- Soma Age- 28 Profession- Weaver Experience- 4 year Family Members- 4 Working in- Bhutico I suffer from acute spondilitis pain and working for long makes it worse.

NAME- Son Singh Age- 32 Profession- Weaver and Farmer Experience- 7 year Family Members- 8 Working In- Work at home (Bhuntar) He is a weaver who works at a co operative society and also helps his wife on the farms to earn a living.

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NAME- Tedhi Anita Singh NAMEAge20 Age- 35 Profession-Weaver Knitting ProfessionExperience- 6 month Experience10 year Family Members- 3 Family Members- 6 Working In- Gadori (cottage Industry) Working In -20 contract baseda hand in her mother’s occupation to earn a little She is just and lends Occupation faced a setback declined use age of handloom outside the more. Theirhas home is run by justdue hertoand her mother. region.

NAME- Sohan Lal Age- 38 Profession- Hand loom Experience- 13 year Family Members- 6 Working In- cottage Industry (Upper mall) Government has handed over his father’s occupation to him as he was the only one to earn in the house.

NAME- Soma Ram Avatar NAMEAge57 Age- 28 Profession-Weaver Spinner ProfessionExperience- 22 year Experience4 year Family Members- 8 Family Members- 4 Working In- contract based (Upper mall) Working His only insonBhutico works outside the town and major part of his salary is used for Ihis suffer acute spondilitis and working for long it worse. hisfrom settlement in the city.pain Thus Mr. Ram works to makes earn for his wife and

“

Meeting them was an heart throbing moments, greeted with love and affection.

They pour their hears out, in depth grief and agony. Facing tons of burdons surving in harsh throns, still smiling. Such a beauty they were.

himself.

NAME- Kamla Singh Age- 34 Profession- Weaver Experience- 8 year Family Members- 7 Working In- Ghepan Earning is very minimal and during certain seasons when the rates of sales are low, his family has to face various economic problems. And they also unaware from the various schemes of govt. is working upon to provide artisans.

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OUR INITATIVE

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Project I We send the proposal to GMDIC, regarding the problems and proposed solutions for Handloom Industry in Kullu.

For the integrated beauty, Kullu Craft, we initated some of the promotional methods and streched our hands, collected al the learning to outshine this craft at another level and help the real artist behind the art.

We initated with the survey of the local weavers, in depth looked at the problems and the adverse situations that they were going under.

We cluttered the problems and divided the Kullu Textile market in three classes- Government based; Buttico, Co-Society based; Bhawati and others and Local based; Neerav Shwals and the other village dwellers loom based.

All the three classes have different problems and different issues, they are all facing different situations, and demand individual care.

On based of our research and interaction with local weavers and their customers, we would like you to consider some below mentioned proposals that government should take•Government schemes should be easily accessible and effortless.

•Every village should have a head to head the small scale weavers.

•More organizations should be undertaken by the government like Buttico.

•Employment in government stores should be for all the artisans irrespective of their native states.

•Artisan card\Weaver credit cardshould be made mandatory for all respectively.

And the other solutions in which we can help and volunteer are•Awareness campaign should be organized on the regular basis.

•We can organize workshops in different parts of India promoting kullu textile craft.

•We can do an effort to call upon different fashion industry dignitaries to be a part of workshop, it will give a platform to local artisans to represent their work and may be end up in building some sort of collaborations among them.

•For the motivation and promotion of the weavers, we can develop an installation for the handloom industry, to celebrate their hard work, a space where all co-operate society weavers and private; cottage or large scale; all can sit together and discuss their ups and downs.

We for the betterment of the Kullu textile industry, being a volentree we gave the proposal for an Exhibition, in which all the weavers and organisation of different level will share the equal spaces and will we awared of all the benefits givin by the government and will be able to exhibit their merchandise at smae level.

We gave them the complete brief oif the exhibition including the moving layout (10/10sq feet area) with well planned spaces, template of the banner and posters.

This was a small initative for all the weavers and artisans, a return to all the hospitality, love and affection we got.

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Project II Focused on the marketing and created the identity of two local weavers shops, grasp what they desired and gave them appropirate logo and business card.

Kullu Kinnori Shwals- Demanded the KKS in there logo

Colourful Elements to the kullu shwals and motifs.

During the discussion for the logo and the problems they face, man is Mr.Gautam Thakur(left) and the women is owner of Gepan Shwals, mre. Pushpa(right).

Gepan Shwals- Basically fron Lauhal, asked fro the resemblance Religious asthetic Appeal Simplistic

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Project III Promotional and Marketing of up coming collection of well established brand Fab Himalayan.

Themes for the advertisment of new collection.

Queens from the hills

Fab Himalayas is a cooperative based society which was set up in 2001 , a step to take the traditional handloom to a more higher platform. However, the organization started working with the traditional colours and patterns, just like the other handloom manufacturers were doing in the region.

A DIFFERENT APPROACH As soon as the company realized that all the handlooms in Kullu are doing the same thing and the creative side of the traditional art has almost vanished. The Head of the organization, Mr. Veeru Bodh decided to bring a little modification to the ongoing textile. They interected with designers and artisans to carve out new patterns and fill them with trendy colours.

A modern touch was added to the famous Kullu shawls and it resulted in attracting customers not only from other states but they got demand from international customers.

COLLECTIONS They are masters of exploration, when it comes to handloom shawls. They just not only changed the patterns and colours but also extended their hands to change the form. Handloom Jackets, Ponchos, stoles etc. According to them stoles or Ponchos would be a more easy and better option for anyone to carry .

1. .Rage Collection 2.

Orb Collection 3.

Swarovski Collection 4.

Morsel Collection

The new collection is all about emergence of Pashmina not only in its traditional colors and flavors but also as a trendy and stylish piece to include in your wardrobe. The traditional handloom woven pieces will make you wonder about the smooth texture and best quality of the product.

Pashmina has never failed to capture one’s attention but now it will make a statement with a touch of glamour as the combination of Swarovski with the ruling textile of Himachal is going to give it a new avatar.

Ruler’s Reincarnation

The ruler (Pashmina)is reborn with a new and sparking personality and is ready to grab your hearts with its hands dipped in Swarovski. The beautifully crafted pieces on traditional handloom serve as a crown for the bejeweled textile. Along with it, the handloom promises to create wonderful pieces with superb texture and finest quality. The traditional patterns and colors have shaken its hands with fashion and the textile is back with new spark and colors. And also, now It could adored in every season as a classy piece or accessory to your outfit..

Shimmer of Pinnacle

The story of chemistry between ruling textile of himachal and the queen of gems is going to unveil this season. The unique combination of Pashmina with Swarovski along with handloom which is considered as the guardian of the uniqueness of the textile is here to triumph over this season. The touch of Swarovski has added a hint of glamour to this most precious textile of the country. The shimmer of the pinnacle is going to strike both your eyes and mind and will make you fall blindly in love with this collection.

Recaptured consciousness

The regained consciousness of the handloom has directed it towards new ranges of colours and trends. It is back into its senses, which are more stronger now and ready to capture your heart with the new and amazingly styled patterns in new colors. With the new collection, the message is clearly being passed out that, the traditional handloom industry of Pashmina has become more fashion conscious but with a promise to retain its original identity.

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Conclusion Bibliography

1. The Gazetteer of fangri District t882 2. The Wonder land - Himachal Pradesh, An encyclopedia, By -Jagmohan Balokhara. A 3. Crafts of Himachal Pradesh By Subhashini Aryan, RK Dutta Gupta.

4. Indian Crafts - Development and Potential (detail of Kullu shawls page 70, 78-79) By D.N Saraf 5. Kullu the end of Habitable world By Penelope Chetwode (page 57) 6.Balokhra JM,The Wonderland-Himachal Pradesh: A survey of the geography, people, history, administrative history, art and architecture, culture and economy of the atate, (HG Publications, New Delhi), 2000, 375.

7. http://www.himachal.indiantravelportal.com/arts-crafts/handicraft/html 8. www.Kullu.net.handicraft/h1901.html 9. Knowledge imparted by locals of Kullu

Handloom and Handicraft form an indispensable part of the lifestyle of Kullu people. But economic conditions of the craftsmen / weavers /artisans, who are passing this tradition fron one generation to another is not satisfactory due to non- avaiability of raw amaterial, insuffecient quantity, poor quality and very high cost of raw materials. Thus, raw materials depots can be started at craft concentrated areas ot the quality of local woolen yarn can be improved by carrying out reserch.

Secondly, the handloom weavers also have to compete with the shwals manufactured on power looms. So, certain efforts should be made on the part of the Government to impart some technical knowlegde about these looms to the weavers. As regarded marketing, which is most crucial problem, the craftsmen should be assisted in marketing their products directly from their looms to the market.

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