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Handicrafts:
Handicrafts includes wood carving, spinning
wool, leather tanning, pottery and bamboo
crafts. Wool products (blankets and
clothing), are the most abundant and it is a
common sight in the hills to see men
spinning wool by hand as thewatch over their
flocks or as they are walking along. Good
quality shawls made from the fine hair
pashmina goats, particularly in kullu, are
highly sought after. Fleecy soft blankets
called gudmas, heavier namdas (rugs) and
rich pile carpets in Tibetan designs are
also produced.
Chappals (leather sandals) are made in
chamba and Chamba rumals ('handkerchiefs'),
small finally embroidered cloth squares
imitating the famous miniature paintings of
the region. Now Buddhist thangkas,
silverware and chunky tribal silver
jewellery are popular with tourists and are
sold in bazars.
Himachal Pradesh was granted full statehood in 1970.
There are 68 seats in the State Assembly, but as one of
India's smallest states Himachal pradesh elects four
members of the Lok Sabha and three representatives to
the Rajya Sabha. Since 1966 Shimla has been the state
capital. Dharamshala has been the home of the Dalai Lama
since 1959, following the Chinese takeover of Tibet. |
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