Leh-Ladakh does not boast of artistic craftsmanship on a huge scale. Most Art and Crafts in Leh-Ladakh serve the needs 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 19 kms 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 the 17th century to build a colossal idol of Buddha at Shey. Since then, the descendants are carrying on their hereditary trade.
Expensive Art and Crafts in Leh-Ladakh
Nepali artists produce an array of beautiful articles for religious and domestic purposes by using copper, silver and brass.
So, you will find tea as well as chang pots, hookah-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.
Affordable Art And Craft Of Ladakh
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 home’s 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. Some other signature style crafts of Leh-Ladakh are Pattu and Baskets. Pattu is a warm and rough woolen fabric. Baskets are woven of willow twigs or a particular kind of grass. They are used for carrying fresh vegetables, manure to the fields or even babies. Exquisite woodwork 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.
Most of these aforesaid items can also be obtained at the District Handicrafts Centre of Leh Ladakh. There you can also find some special items like Thangka painting and Pashmina shawls. The Thangka paintings made according to firm rules passed along from generation to generation are a rare visual treat.
The people get so mesmerized with the art of Ladakh that they end up traveling there. There might be many reasons why people want to visit Ladakh but the foremost reason for the tourists in Ladakh is the craftsmanship and how beautifully people engrave things. Ladakh art and culture is the best thing to explore. You can also explore them with the help of our tour packages which we offer. Now, book your tour packages and explore the Ladakh art and crafts.
