Textiles: Raw materials for textiles are abundant in Nepal, and with the contrasting climates
and altitudes there has been a wealth of materials which for centuries have been extracted,
spun, twisted and wooven into a multitude of textiles. Textiles in Nepal are woven, knitted,
crocheted, plaited or braide. The most remarkable and visible cotton textile are the intricately
patterned, colourful cotton panels used for caps for men, and blouses and shawls for women,
called Dhaka-cloth. A lovely cotton, with a very free design, very much up to the individual
weaver, with no two pieces the same. The Limbus and Rais of the mid-mountains are famous
for their Dhaka cloth. Pashmina shawls and lambswool shawls are everywhere, plus jumpers and
cardigans from Cashmere, and some handknitted jumpers in local colours and designs. Cashmere,
Pashmina shawls are in demand in Tokyo, New York, Paris, London etc. Yak hair is made into
shelters, ropes and cloting, yak skin for shoes, saddle bags and straps. Sheep’s wool was made
into rainproof Nepalese woollen blankets that were used for trading items 2,000 years ago;
and now woven clothing, blankets and rugs are still in use in the mountain areas. The most
attractive Sherpa woollen front apron is woven from sheep’s wool, hand spun and coloured
with multi coloured natural dyes. Silk is also used in the pashmina and silk combined shawls.
Jute goods and raw jude are important export items for Nepal to India and Bangladesh. Within
Nepal the jute is sold to the mills in the Terai where it is machine spun and made into sack cloth
and rope.
Thangkas: Painting is the mother of all forms of art. Wall paintings, frescos and mural paintings
are found in the Kathmandu valley, with whole rooms painted without an inch uncovered,
showing both religious and secular themes. Thangka painting in Nepal was used to describe the
complicated tantric philosophy which also worked as a visual aid to a layman. The two types of
thangka painted are the Newari Thangka and the Tamang Thangka. The Newar thangkas have
gods, Buddhist gods dominating the whole canvas, while the Tamang thangkas mostly depict
mandalas, the life of Buddha and the wheel of life. Throughout Kathmandu valley, Thangka
schools and painters can be visited, and time can be spent learning, listening and watching the
artists at their work.
Woodcarving: In the annals of the art and architectural treasures of Nepal wood has been
the most common material used for carving. Besides the struts, windows of various designs,
the peacock window, the Desemaru Jhya, meaning the unparalleled one, fake and lattice windows
have added to the beauty of Nepalese temples and monasteries. They have beautiful carvings
on their pillars and door-frames, lintels and cornices. There are intricate carvings of a number
of animals and birds including the story of Ramayana,. These temples have erotic carvings at the
bottom of their roof struts, a symbol of the tantric cult.
Khukuri: Khukuris, curved steel knives used by the Gurkha soldiers, are particularly a popular
souvenir to take back home. An authentic khukuri should have a notch on it’s blade near the
handle. Sheathed together with the khukuri in the scabbard are two tiny knives: one is the
karda whih is used for sharpening the khukuri, and the other called a chakmak is for striking a
flintstone to make fire.
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CHAPTER 2 : TOURISM PRODUCTS AND INFRASTRUCTURES 30
