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Art & Crafts in Ladakh |
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Leh-Ladakh does not boast of an artistic craftsmanship on a huge scale. Most Art and Crafts in Leh-Ladakh serve the need of the local people. In the yester years, most lavish articles were acquired through imports. However, the village of Chiling was an exception. Situated nearly 19kms up the river of Zanskar from Nima, this village has a society of metal workers, who are considered to be the offspring of artists from Nepal. These artists from Nepal came here in the middle of 17th century to build a colossal idol of Buddha at Shey. Since then, the descendants are carrying on their hereditary trade. These artisans produce an array of beautiful articles for religious and domestic purpose by using copper, silver and brass. So, you will find tea as well as chang pots, hookkah-bases, teacup stands, ladles and bowls here, to mention a few. Occasionally, you may also find some silver chorten. These are generally made for installation in domestic shrines and temples.
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| BUDDHA IMAGES |
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There is little tradition of artistic craftsmanship in Ladakh, most luxury articles inthe past having been obtained through imports. The exception isthe village of Chiling, about 19km up the Zanskar river from Nima. Here, a community ofmetal workers, said to be the descendants of artisans brought from Nepal inthe mid -17th century to build one of the gigantic Buddha -images at Shey, cary on their hereditary vocation. |
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Working in silver, brass and copper, they produce exquisite items for domestic and religious use : tea and chang pots, teacup - stands and lids, hookkah-bases, ladles and bowls and, occasionally, silver chorten for installa-tion in temples and domestic shrines. This statue is embedded with copper sheets and gold plate. You can witness image of two chief disciples of Buddha namely, Sariputra and Maudgalyayana. The beautiful paintings in the walls of the Gompa have never failed to allure the travelers of the entire globe. Never miss any opportunity to explore in Ladakh and witness Shey Gompa.
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| GARA |
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As most of the local people cannot afford the costly items of the Chiling craftsmen, they use the bowls, cooking pots and agricultural implements made by local blacksmiths (better known as Gara). The wealthier Ladakhi homes’ kitchens also proudly display big and ornate iron stoves made by the deft hands of gara. Actually, craftsmanship in this region has not gone beyond producing items of daily use.Most of these aforesaid items can also be obtained at the District Handicrafts Centre of Leh |
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| PATTU |
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Pattu is a warm and rough woolen fabric.Pattu, the rough, warm, woolen material used for clothing is made from locally produced wool, spun by women on drop-spindles, and woven by semi-professional weavers on portable looms set up in the winter sunshine, or under the shade of a tree in summer. The designs painted on objects of Papier Mache are brightly colored. They vary in artistry and the choices of colors. Gold is used on most objects, either as the only color, or as the highlight for certain motifs, and besides the finish of the product, it is the quality of the gold used which determines the price. |
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| BASKETS |
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Baskets are woven of willow twigs or particular kind of grass. They are used for carrying fresh vegetables, manure to the fields or even babies. Exquisite wood work can also be witnessed in the form of low carved tables in Ladakhi living-rooms. The pillars and carved beams of many houses also bear testimony to the beautiful wood work of the local artisans. Baskets, for the transport of any kind of burden - manure for the fields, fresh vegetables, even babies -are woven out of willow twigs, or a particular variety of grass. Wood work is confined largely to the production of pillars and carved lintels for the houses, and the low carved tables that are the best feature of every Ladakhi living-room. |
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| THANGKA PAINTING |
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The Handicrafts Centre also has a department of Thangka painting. These icons on cloth are executed in accordance with strict guidelines handed down from past generations. In the same tradition are the mural paintings in the gompas, where semi-professional , both monks and laymen, labour to keep the walls decorated with images symbolizing the various aspects of the Buddhism. The skill of building religious statues is also not extinct. The gigantic representation of Maitreya, was installed in Thikse Gompa as recently as the early 1980s.
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While touring Leh-Ladakh, you can shop for curios and mementos in the local markets of the place. The item which is a major draw among tourists is the famous Pashmina shawl. Beautiful stoles and other Pashmina garments are also quite a catch. Some other items like woolen socks, caps, gloves and sweaters, which are hand-woven by the local artisans are also very popular among tourists coming to Leh-Ladakh.
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Some other items to pick on your trip to Leh-Ladakh are the magnificent Tibetan handicrafts like the Prayer wheels, Thangka paintings and Buddhist masks. The traditional Ladakhi ornaments with turquoise and Tibetan silver jewelry are also admired by the tourists. You may also pick some apricots that are cultivated abundantly in Ladakh. It could serve as a trendy gift that you may bring back as a tasty souvenir of your tour to Leh-Ladakh.
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