Strolling around the temples and the ancient palaces of Kathmandu valley, during dusk is one of my favorite habits. It’s not just that these places radiate a sense of serenity but the neighborhood filled with the antique shop full of Nepalese handicrafts and the temples with fabulous wood carving make my time worthwhile.

Handicrafts in Nepal are believed to have started since the Licchavi period (300-879 AD) though the official account of the first handicraft is not available. But the classical period of Nepal (13th to 18th century) ruled by the Malla dynasty helped, extensively in the enrichment of quality, authenticity, and originality of the Nepalese handicrafts.

In today’s hi-tech and industrialized society, the mere glance of handmade and eco-friendly products lifts our tired spirits. Especially, obtaining the authentic and local handicraft gives us pleasure, nowhere to be found. In Nepal, especially in Kathmandu valley, the tradition of craftsmanship is still preserved, thanks to the close-knit Newar (Indo-Burmic in origin believed to be natives of Kathmandu valley) communities who have been practicing it for many centuries. So, there is still the chance to feel the originality and the local-ness in the variety of handicrafts.

Basically, handmade crafts in Nepal can be divided into two main categories viz. textile handicrafts and non-textile handicrafts. The details of these categories are what I intend to describe in this article.

Textile products

It includes, along with pashmina, wool, Dhaka (one kind of local textile), hemp products, also (nettle fiber), felt, silk, and cotton goods. These materials are extensively used to prepare clothes, bags, jackets, shawls, trousers, and so forth.

Pashmina

In Nepal, the source of pashmina is the fur of the Himalayan goats (Chyangras). Since they are reared in the high altitude of Nepal, pashmina is an item of rarity. Often used to make the pashmina shawl, these days, with the advancement of technology, manufacturers in Kathmandu have been exporting Pashmina goods via the internet too. Though the pashmina industry experienced a downfall because of the wide use of fake furs, after the strict scrutinization, the business is booming again.

Dhaka Products

Widely considered to be the pride of Nepal, Dhaka is the local textile that has been widely used as Nepali Cap (Dhaka topi), blouse, and shirts (Kamij). During festivities of Newar and hilly people, women can be seen in colorful Dhaka attire that captures anyone’s eye. Believed to be originated from western hills, today, Dhaka represents the identity of Nepalese.

Woolen, hemp, felt, and cotton goods

If you travel on the alleys of Thamel or Patan, you can clearly observe the bags made up of hemp, or the scarfs made up of silk with art crafted by skilled artisans. Not to miss, woolen products such as jackets, pullovers, ponchos, mufflers, hats, gloves, and socks are textile handicrafts found in Nepal. And after 2006/7, the products of felt (somewhat like woolen are in optimum demand.)

Non-textile handicrafts

It consists of woodcraft, stone craft, metal craft, silver jewelry, leather goods, Thangka/Paubha (religion-based paintings), bone and horn products, handmade paper products, incense, ceramics items, bamboo products, and plastic items.

Woodcraft

Maybe one of the oldest and popular handicrafts in Nepal, Woodcraft has been practiced by Silpakar (woodcarvers), the distinguished clan of Newar. Various products made out of wood can be found in Nepal which includes miniature statues, and tools for daily use crafted by skilled artisans.

Metal crafts

Undoubtedly, metal crafts are the most popular and widely exported handicrafts of Nepal along with woolen and cotton products. Crafted by the members of Tamrakar (copper crafters and idol makers), metal crafts are often found in different varieties. The magnificent statue of Buddha, Ganesh, Shiva, and different deities are prepared out of copper and silver. One simply doesn’t get tired walking the alleys Patan, where antique shops are filled with the amazing display of metal crafts. Initially, designed out of wax, the shape of the craft I encased in the clay mold which is heated to harden. Once the job is done, the wax is melted and poured out through the case and instead replaced by the metal of choice, often bronze and silver. Letting the shape to set, the metal being is extracted by breaking the mold; the final piece obtained by polishing and giving a final touch by a skilled artisan.

Silver jewelry

Silver jewelry is one of the most exported handicrafts from Nepal. The skilled artisans who are the member of Shakya and Bajracharya (Silversmiths) have been exploiting their talent and crafting fabulous silverware.

Thangka/Paubha

Kathmandu is often quoted as the city of temples. The cultural and religious environment in Nepal is a mixture of Hinduism and Buddhism. Thangka is a religious-based painting, especially Buddhism and the amazing and mysterious lifestyle of Lamas. It depicts the lifecycle of the Buddhist deities and the historical incident.

Paper Crafts

These products can be considered as a recent addition to the Nepalese handicraft. After the introduction of the concept of recycling and reusing of the materials citing the environmental concern, various useful products are made out of paper and plastics.

There are so many online stores in Nepal, that are established with the sole purpose to promote the handicrafts of Nepal, and add to this, with the advancement of technology, each buyer can go through each product review on the internet before spending money on it.

There are some locally owned and charitable online stores that want to keep the tradition of Handicraft alive in the country by spending a certain amount of their revenue in social sectors of backward communities. One can, easily, from her apartment in Sydney or Chicago can get handicraft items on her door without much hassle and delivery charge in today’s highly sophisticated world.

Nepali Singing bowls | Himalayan Bowls

Can you stand a minute listening to the cacophony of a crowd or a pianist playing just a single note? If you are unsure, why don’t you give a try? But, I bet you’ll be ready to pay hundreds of dollars to attend the popular orchestra or to buy Beethoven quartet or Mozart’s record. Why do music and sound affect us so much?

At the microscopic level, the physiological aspect of the human body performs a different feat that outsmarts layman’s intuition. According to neuroscientists, the human brain composed of trillions of neurons acts as a natural oscillator with distinct frequencies.

And when it encounters the external sound, the harmonics and the overtones comparable to frequencies of our brain waves form a mutual phase locking which brings about significant change in our emotions.

Though we are known to this reality in the 21st century, it seems that our forefathers; as Westerners see, the great mystics and Buddhists Lama of Himalaya knew this fact and even created a sound healing mechanism using singing bowls based on this fact.

Singing bowls, also known by the name Tibetan singing bowl are sometimes referred to as seven metals bowl are one of the oriental pieces of metalcraft, the application of which range from meditation, sound healing to the musical instrument.

 Also read: Metal Crafts: How are they made

History And Origin Of Singing Bowls

Less is known about the actual origin of the singing bowl but ideas and facts gathered from the anecdotes, it can be assessed that its origin has roots during Buddhist civilization since Buddhism regards our existence as a vibration in this cosmic universe, the idea of sound remained so ingrained in their philosophy.

It is even assumed that Buddha himself brought the singing bowl from heaven and the rests are a copy of it. Legend has it that the use of these bowls date back to Bon religion in Himalaya, way before Buddhism was founded.

Composition of Singing Bowls

It is believed that they were traditionally made using seven precious metals like gold, silver, and such though, in modern times, these are mostly mass-produced from the alloy of copper and tin (bronze)but still, the handmade singing bowl can be found which are said to be made up of copper, tin, gold, silver as chief metals.

Since the composition of the singing bowl is bronze, it’s still debatable whether it was originated in Tibet or in Nepal? Without any written proof, it can be said, judging the skilled artisans of Nepal that its origin took place in this land of the Himalayas which later flourished in Tibet, northern India, and East Asian countries. This proposition can be further proved by the use of it in different ceremonies by Shamans, Lamas, and religious priests in ancient Himalaya.

Healing Mechanism of Singing Bowls

Today, the singing bowl isn’t just given religious importance but is popularly used in sound healing mechanisms, meditation, and even as a musical instrument. The quality handmade singing bowl is supposed to create a vibration that lasts longer and synchronization with brain waves decreases the heartbeat and other vitals providing a person a soothing feeling resulted from the healing of tissues and smooth functioning of the glands.

Even though allopathy and technological feat has changed the fate of global medicine practice, oriental methods of healing haven’t lost its charm. It is assumed that our body consists of seven chakras, which regulate the body, so whenever one of the chakras is blocked, a person gets ailment.

This is when the vibrational energy of the singing bowl resonates with the frequency of that chakra, safely regulating it. Though taken as pseudoscience by skeptics, recent research on the effects of sound on health has revealed many facts in support of sound healing.

Singing Bowls for Meditation

People, nowadays, use the singing bowl for meditation purposes because of the prolonged soothing vibration produced in it. The harmonics and overtones produced by rubbing the mallet around the edges of the bowl bring about resonance in the brain wave thus providing an ideal situation for meditation.

Where to Buy Singing Bowls in Nepal

If you happen to travel to Nepal, don’t forget to visit antique shops in Thamel where you’ll encounter the shops that trade singing bowls, Khukuri, and other handmade crafts and hopefully also the workshops. Since the western world came to a realization of sound healing after the ’90s, the sales of the singing bowl have increased in Nepal so that many of them are machine refined for faster production, which despite their alluring appearance does not always serve the required purpose.

So How To Choose The Best Singing Bowl?

It is said the best ones are the handmade ones which are created by repeated hammering and heating for about 4 to 5 hours. But there’s no easy way to identify the quality which is why it is advised to choose them based on their sound quality and its prolongation.

Singing bowls, since are found in different sizes, choose the one which you can easily hold in your hand and produces a soothing sound when the mallet is moved around its rims. Or else you can ask someone else to play it for you and judge the one of your preference.

How to Play Singing Bowls?

The best way to play it, according to most of the practitioners is to hold a singing bowl in a left hand, holding a mallet in the right hand. Then, the vibration can be produced by tapping the bowl and moving the mallet in a clockwise direction, applying equal pressure.

Useful and Advantages Of Singing Bowls

This way, ideal overtones are generated and are helpful for half an hour of meditation. Also, it is used to cure a headache by covering the head with the bowl and tapping it in a clockwise direction. There are so many cases of ailments where the singing bowls come up as the best healing tool.

It is said, traditionally singing bowls were created by authentic bronze, and meteorite iron along with silver and gold, the sole purpose of which is to create the overtones which are beneficial to the human brain and chakras. So one must pay close attention while playing it.

So, lost and forgotten are many of the Eastern secrets, which, when are discovered can revolutionize the prevailed pattern of livelihood just like singing bowl has done, albeit to less extent.

WoodCrafts in Nepal

One of the reason tourists visits Kathmandu is the breathtaking architecture of medieval palaces and temples in three traditional Durbar squares located in three different cities Kathmandu, Bhaktapur, and Lalitpur. These three culturally distinctive piazzas contain wooden and brick temples, so delicately designed and elegantly morphed together.

Legend has it that the name of the city, Kathmandu is derived from the Kasthamandap, the oldest known wooden temple built during Lichhavi, which was then formed by two words, Kastha means wood (a chief material from which a temple is made) and mandon ( temple or an edifice).

 So, Kathmandu literally means “ city of wooden temples”. As you can see in most of the temples, using wood doesn’t hold much more important than the artistic touch it possesses. The intricate and artistic carvings in the pillars, brackets, struts, beam frames of the peristyles, window and door frames with the Hindu deities and religious motifs prove this statement.

But nowadays, woodcraft is not just limited to the beams of temples and palaces but the artisans carve the figure of Buddha, the elements of Buddhism, windows, doors, statues of different Hindu gods and goddesses, tables, artistic clocks, and the articles of day to day use.

The Nepali woodcraft tradition has three types of craftsmen: The Designers, The Woodcarvers, Traditionally from the Silpakar family, and the carpenters, commonly called Sikarmi.

But the tradition has slowly changed as different castes are coming ahead to perform this work.

The designer and woodcarver are often the same people. The wood carving organization, so far, has been kept as a family business, the ideas being transferred to sons from the father. The work of woodcarvers is a broad specialization and belongs to the knowledge concerning iconography and religious significance of decoration.

One of the veteran designers Haribhakta Maharjan said that the complexity of an ornately carved deity, multi-handed and holding symbols all of religious significance, requires not only great knowledge of the religious texts but also the skills of a craftsman competent to execute the work.

Most of the wood crafts are influenced by the Vedic and Buddhist ideologies. So, if you happen to see any sort of act depicted on the temple, be sure that the art holds some kind of meaning in the oriental religions.

Woodcarvers believe and worship the god called Vishwakarma, who according to a legend of Mahabharata, built a beautiful palace, the Mani Mai Sabhat, for their king who was so impressed by the window carvings as well as the beauty of the queen, that he was distracted enough to stumble over and fall into the water pool in the middle of the court. Vishwakarma is revered as Kuldeuta (deity guide/ personal god) by the traditional woodcarvers during the festive seasons.

Even though the majestic display of wooden craft in Kathmandu valley can be observed in the traditional doors and windows of Newars, the durbar square, and temples, nowadays skill can be found in different forms like small decorative items,  handicraft gift like a picture frame, rack with hangers, wooden ties, small boxes, animals, buttons, furniture, decorative wall hanging, etc. from the limited items temples, wooden windows, and panels. Maybe the following descriptions of these crafts will be a great help for you:

Newari windows

As already explained above, Newari windows display the magnificent blend of Newari culture: the fusion of Hinduism and Buddhism. You can find different designs of Newari windows if you happen to travel three durbar squares of Kathmandu, look out for local workshops where skilled artisans can be observed busy with tools and woods. A few weeks ago, I met one of the American tourists, Richard, 80 years old in one of such workshops where he shared with me his fascination with observing those beautiful and delicately carved windows.

Wooden statues

Blessed with the rich tradition and cultural plethora, the temples of Nepal contains different gods and goddess each having their own significance. Nowadays, small-scale woodcraft industries create different forms of deities in different shapes and sizes with varying price ranges. You can get a piece of Buddha Statue for Rs. 1000 or else you can get the statue of Ganesh that costs more than Rs. 10,000.

Tables and beds

Who wouldn’t love to use the intricately designed wooden table in their office and home which radiates a sense of calmness and serenity? Carved in the durable wood of tropical trees like sal, these tables are durable and artistic with different religious motifs. Also, wooden sleeping beds are available in the major woodcraft industry which is carved with auspicious motifs like Astamangala.

Wooden framed clock

This can be yet another elegant classic item that can add beauty to your abode: watching the passing time on a clock embedded in the wooden frame prepared by some artisans in another corner of the world that radiate the medieval vibes of the oriental region.

In addition to the above-described items, you can observe different pieces of crafts in the courtyard of Bhaktapur, Kathmandu, and Patan Durbar square where many tourists and the vendors bargain for the price of the items. To those, who are a bit skeptical of their authenticity, there are so many local workshops where one can obtain the item, learning to carve, if desired.

Reflecting Nepali culture, undergoing transformations that were considerably influenced by religion, politics, social conditions, events such as natural disasters, and so on, Nepali Arts has evolved immensely over the eras.

It is believed that Nepali art and culture were parallel in existence, however, the oldest evidence that has been traced belongs to the fourth century i.e. The Lichchhavi period which is considered to be “The Golden Age Of Nepali Art”.

Over the centuries, the environmental factors in the society, nation, and the state of the artist have affected the subject of arts. Historical sculptures and artworks were mainly religious, mystical, and symbolic. Whereas, the subject of artworks of the periods with political revolution such as the Rana Regime was based on secularism, realism, etc.

Later, after the fall of the Rana regime, artists practiced impressionism, fauvism, expressionism, abstractionism in their artworks. Besides the internal issues, western culture and practices also inspired artwork in the past. Even today, artists practice symbolism, abstractionism, impressionism, and use the various metaphorical symbol with hidden meanings and messages.

Historically, architectural feats and structures, wooden carvings, manuscripts, mandala, wall paintings, portrait painting, were some of the major artworks. The forms of art in context with Nepal are innumerable, the artworks can be classified in the following ways.:-

Paintings:

In the past, paintings were mainly done in manuscripts, walls, wood, copper or other metal plates, or cloth. Local materials such as minerals, plants, soil etc were used for extracting colors. Thangka Paintings, Mithila paintings, Pauwa paintings, are some examples of Nepali paintings. These days paintings are mostly done in canvases and are influenced by western culture.

Architecture:

The intricate linings of the wooden windows and doors of a temple, the complex geometry of a stupa, the prayer wheels, are examples of architecture. Architectural art can mainly be seen in religious sites or historical areas. Architecture has had major shifts according to the eras and revolutions that occurred with time.

Sculpture:

Artists mainly made use of bronze, granite, sandstone, limestone, for sculpting figures of gods, leaders, and rulers. The statues of gods, various rulers can still be seen in historical areas.

Pottery:

Traditionally a lot of utensils and household materials used by Nepalese were made out of molded clay such as pyala, gamala, gyampo, gagri, diyo, lamps, flower vases and so on.

Besides the form of art listed above, local songs, traditional musical instruments, traditional dances also reflect Nepali art. Art accentuates looks making things look more appealing to the eye.

More importantly, Nepali art emphasizes the divinities of religion and the connection of man with God and nature, it symbolizes various life processes and stages such as birth, youth, death in the form of intricacies. Arts act as historical evidence and symbolic representation for the rich history that we possess.

Nepal’s tourism experienced a dramatic turnaround last year after being hit by the twin disasters of a devastating earthquake and crippling trade embargo in 2015.

Foreign tourist arrivals to Nepal jumped 39.71 percent to 753,002 in 2016, boosted by robust visitor growth from India, China, the US, the UK and Sri Lanka, according to the statistics of the Department of Immigration. 

However, 2016 arrivals are still 4.69 percent down from 2014 when the country welcomed 790,118 foreign visitors. The tourism boom is expected to continue in 2017 and remains a major growth driver for the economy even as the industry sees low overseas promotional activities. 

October, November and December have been the most productive months for the industry, accounting for nearly one-third of total arrivals. 

“It’s a dramatic growth. The industry is returning rapidly to its pre-earthquake growth level,” said Kedar Neupane, director general of the Department of Immigration. “The tourism boom is expected to continue in 2017 given a level of promotion by Nepal in the major source markets.” 

He said that if the government, Nepal Tourism Board and private sector conducted aggressive promotional activities, this year could be an extraordinary year. “We can expect 1 million tourists in 2017 considering the current environment.”

Neupane said that Nepal could see a boom in Chinese arrivals this year following the move by the Chinese government to encourage travel to the country. China has announced Nepal Tourism Promotion Year 2017 in a bid to encourage its citizens to visit the Himalayan republic, according to the Nepal Embassy in Beijing. 

“The industry carried out massive marketing activities in major source markets after the earthquakes, leading to a massive recovery,” said tourism entrepreneur Basant Raj Mishra. “The arrival of foreign volunteers as well as conferences held by I/NGOs in Nepal last year propelled growth.” 

Suman Pandey, chairman of the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Nepal Chapter, said that 2017 looked promising; but the crumbling Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA), Nepal’s only international aerial gateway, could be a major setback. 

“The hospitality industry in Nepal can accommodate more than 3 million tourists, but the airport is already choked with capacity constraints even though arrivals are way short of the one million mark,” he said. 

TIA is currently served by 28 international carriers, and it has announced that it cannot accommodate more flights. “What does this statement mean? Of course, Nepal has become an attractive holiday destination for travellers, but TIA will remain the main obstacle to the growth of the industry.” 

Nepal received a lot of media exposure following the earthquake which has aroused tremendous interest among potential travelers. 

The world’s leading travel guide Lonely Planet has named Nepal the world’s ‘best value destination’ for 2017. Likewise, Nepal’s Langtang region has been featured in The New York Times ‘52 places to go in 2017’ list. 

Nepal has also appeared in the January travel issue of chinadaily.com.cn. “Nepal remains a fabulous choice for budget-conscious travelers, whether it’s the country’s world famous trekking routes or the wildlife in the southern region. Travel costs per day are as low as $50 on average,” it said. 

A breakdown of arrivals by market shows Indian travellers at the top of the list. Arrivals from the southern neighbour reached 118,249 last year, up 57.40 percent. Chinese tourist arrivals jumped 55.26 percent to 104,005. Travel trade entrepreneurs said that Chinese arrivals did not increase as expected last year as the key entry point,

Tatopani Customs in Sindhupalchok, was closed after the earthquake. However, Rasuwagadhi has emerged as an important surface route with 23,452 Chinese visitors entering the country through this point last year. 

Meanwhile, visitors from the US, Sri Lanka and the UK jumped 25.67 percent, 29.64 percent and 55.71 percent respectively. 

Export earnings from handmade products surged 19 percent in the first four months of the current fiscal year, thanks to sustained demand from markets like China, the US, and Europe. Nepal’s handicraft industry is on the recovery path after suffering a massive hit from the earthquake and trade blockade last year. Statistics released by the Federation of Handicraft Associations of Nepal (Fhan) show that Nepal exported handmade products worth Rs1.98 billion during the period mid-July to mid-November Shipments amounted to Rs1.67 billion in the same period last year.

Fhan President Dharma Raj Shakya said that the handicraft business that was adversely affected by last year’s earthquake and trade blockade was back on track. According to him, business dropped last year due to a short supply of raw materials and manpower. “Based on current export trends, revenues are expected to touch Rs5 billion this year,” said Shakya. In 2015-16, Nepal exported handicraft goods worth Rs4.78 billion. Of the 25 major handicraft and unique items, earnings from felt products posted a growth of 69 percent with exports jumping to Rs559.62 million from Rs331.69 million. Shakya said that outfits and accessories made of felt had been attracting many foreign buyers in recent days. Felt products are mainly exported to the US and Europe. Similarly, metal crafts accounted for the second-highest export earnings.

Nepal’s export of metal crafts surged 30 percent to Rs465.46 million. These products are exported mainly to the US and China. Likewise, export earnings from glass products surged almost three-fold to Rs81.78 million. Decoration items and smoking devices are among the popular items in the segment. Exports of beads also increased to Rs57.96 million from Rs38.73 million. However, exports of pashmina products, handmade paper, and silver products declined during the review period. Export earnings from pashmina plunged by almost half to Rs156.98 million. Shakya attributed the fall to increasing exports of machine-made products. “As machine-made pashmina is cheaper compared to handwoven products, export values have declined,” he said. Shakya said orders for Nepali handicrafts had been coming from new markets like Mongolia and Vietnam. “Following a change in lifestyles in these countries, demand has increased.” Nepali handicrafts are shipped to 80 countries among which 30 are large buyers. Europe accounts for 43 percent of Nepal’s total handicraft exports, while the US accounts for 17 percent. 

Sabita Maharjan, a social entrepreneur, has been providing employment to hundreds of women in her knitting business.

She founded Kritipur Hosiery Industry in 2008 with the aim to uplift socially vulnerable and underprivileged women so they could be financially independent.

At present, Maharjan owns her own brand K-knitting, which has garnered much recognition for her products and hard work. She launched this new venture with the help of the Business Services Center (BSC).

She has also become the inspiration for Women Empowerment in Nepal.

K-knitting produces a range of items like woolen gloves, caps, mufflers, hats, pullovers, woolen jackets, sweaters, scarves, and socks.  Some of her items are showcased at Kalanki Knitwear and some are waiting to be displayed on the premises of popular restaurants in Kathmandu.

In 2011, Sabita and her K-Knitting family started working with Sherpa Adventure Gear and after two years of product and quality training, their items were finally showcased.

In 2015, the Kirtipur Sweater Jacket led the Sherpa Adventure Gear to the ISPO Gold Award. The International Fashion Textile Trend Consultant (GBR) said the sweater was a perfect combination of tradition and technology because each piece was hand-knitted in Nepal, using 100% lamb’s wool, and a tradition that had withstood centuries had been maintained. As for the technology, the sweater was lined with PrimaLoft Silver Insulation to add warmth and softness.

This year, Maharjan plans to open six more branches and a training center where women would be provided hands-on training for knitwear and handicraft items.

Her business, which she started with 72 knitters, has now grown to support 300 women from different parts of the country.

The women, who are working with her, now have gained confidence and necessary skills to support themselves and their families.