Himalayan Times (1949)

A

December 25, 1049

Himalayan Tin

kalimpong

Continued Jrom page 10

satisfactory, fur in Tibet, where the Tibe-
tans have started to use chemical d\es
(which are easier to handle than vegetable
dyes', .and to experiment with modern
designs, the result has been flamboyant
carpets with harsh colours.

Greek Mister Craftsman

'Hie carpet industry in Kalimpong
has been given a rre^t stimulus and
artistic direction by the arrival of Aristide
Messinesi, a Greek. Mr. Messinesi is a
master craftsman with a wide experience
of carpet and brocade weaving. Mr.
Messinesi had his workshop in* * Chesire,
England, but as present day conditions
in Europe do not encourage the individual
craftsman, Mr. Mossinesi decided to come
to India, the ancient home of woaving.
Mr. Messinesi has started a department
of fine weaving in the Industrial School.
The weavers who are his pupils still use
the 'fiberan wool Mid looms, and the
stress is not so much in innovations as
in improving the quality of their work.
An innovation is the Persian knot where
the threads of wool are tied directly to the
threads of the warp, and this has resul-
ted in carpets of finer texture.

A Great Future

The fntire of the carpet industry in Kalimpoag
is hopeful though at present the market is limited
to consumers with taste and moftey. The National
Government has decided recently to furnish its embassies
and offices with product! of Indian craft and if the
costa of weaving carpets and rugs can he kept at a
reasonable level there is an opening here for local
carpets and rugs. The cost can b|i kept within a
reasonable margin as Kalimpong is the centre of
the wool trade from fTibet. *

Over one lakh maunds of sheep
wool arrive annually by mule caravans
wh.le in addition 19.000 maunds are
carted from Gangtok to Kalimpong The
price of wool fluctuates, in 1928 it was

fts. 11/- a maund, in 1938 Rs. 05/. g,
maund in 1944 the price had falleh to
Ks 40/- a maund. The present price
18 Re. 75/- a maund. The bhlk of the
wool is sorted and baled in Kalimpong
and exported to the plains and overseas
V egetable dyes are also readily obtainable
and are not expensive. The price of
majeethar^and shingai leaves is Rs. 5/:
a maund and walnut bark Rs. 7/i a
maund Churcha and lac is more costly
being Rs. 00/- and Rs 80/- a maund
but the powdered roots and lac are
economical in use.

(''ll! the meanwhile, the Weavers ate
gaining experience in weaving carpets of'
diffeient stylos and designs, and in impro-
ving the quality of their Work. In the
paBt few decades the high standard of
weaving carpots in Tibet has fallen
considerably, and the present renaissance
of the art and craft in Kalimpong is a
distinct contribution to the culture of
India.

WOOL TRADE '

Continued from page 9
A steadily growing inland demand
for Tibet wool specially since the less *
of Fazilka mandi consequent on partition
has been a happy feature of recent times.
Unselective breeding and haphazard shear-
ing in far off Tibet no doubt render
any great improvement in quality and
grading difficult but merchants with a
little discrimination and some imagination
could certainly do something in improving

• ti e quality even under present circums-
tance. Some attention to quality .would
not only further the interests of Indian
Textile industry but would also enhance
the value ami perhaps the volume of
Indian exports and this when Tibet woo)
is ft valuble dollar-e.irner would lie a
definite service to onr country and as
such should commend itself to the Wool
merchants of Kalimpong.