Garhwali Craft of Wool Knitting ang Knotting

The wool based industry,i.e. spinning, weaving knotting and knitting of wool in order to make products such as blankets, sweaters, shawls, caps & other garments, and carpets; has been practiced by the people of Garhwal for centuries.This is the PRIMARILY HOUSEHOLD of the people: Families as well as merchants keep large herds of sheep to obtain wool, milk and transportation.There are three types of staples in the area:

• देसी* sheep staple is short and coarse-textured which is used in Northern Tehri for the knotting and knitting technique of  shawl, carpet and blanket making.

• Tibetan sheep staple is long and soft which is used in Chamoli and Uttarkashi for garment making.

SWEATERS

SHAWLS

• Rabbit staple is the softest and the most expensive whose garments are made to target the higher sections of the society.

STOLE

Important concentration points: Joshimath, Gopeshwar, Uttarkashi and Gocher in Chamoli. Chakrata, Kalsi & Vikas Nagar in DehraDun too inhabit household occupied in this trade.This occupation was completely household, unorganized and scattered across the landscape of Garhwal among villages & nomads  and whenever there is a shortage of money, people are forced to sell of there sheep to butcher or anyone else in order to gain a good price. The government made a stringent effort to take over the trade and centralize it into government run centers. In these centers, a large number of people working as weavers knitters and spinners are women and even among them are actually tribal hill women. The real input of the households as a result of practicing this trade is not more than 20-30 rupees per day. And that too is irregular.

A GARHWALI CRAFTSMAN

 NAME: Mr.Sunder Singh Rawat

SHOP NAME: भोटिया बंदु  (Bhotiya Bandhu)

SHOP AT: Bus Stop, उत्तरकाशी 

LIVES: Dunda which is 14km from उत्तरकाशी 

COMMUNITY: Scheduled tribe mostly found in Dunda, Joshimath, Chamoli, Maana(Badrinath);i.e. higher Himalayas.

Sunder tells these people have sheep and trade for their wool & woolen crafts, clothes and carpets which are made in the family itself. This craft of knitting, knotting, weaving and spinning has been in his family for generations. He is in his mid 50s now and has been in this profession for long (about 30-35 years).
He speaks of the difficulties he has faced; taking flock high on mountains, shaving them, creating beautiful work and then selling it of by travelling so far of. Though the time has changed and the methods of shaving has become easier due to better tools but the traditional process of weaving etc. is not changed in order to maintain the value and essence of the craft.
According to my friend, Sunder the upcoming generations are not interested into this trade. The literacy rate is increasing hence new generations are now going into government jobs, corporate sectors etc.
He says,"we do get loans for our work at a very nominal interest from government financial institutions. We also are being approached by some NGOs who have the intention so that this traditional craft should be alive."
"There are problems,"says Sunder,"but not because of our work but because we have to live in higher altitudes in harsh climates, with very little or no means of medical, food, communication, commuting etc. In spite of all these hardships, we live our life with joy as we do what we love so work becomes encouraging and challenges become thrills."

*Local, folk.