Visually Enchanting Sikkim Handicraft Shop @ Gurgaon

Experience the mountain air right here in Kingdom of Dreams, Gurgaon.
Culture Gully’s Sikkim Handicraft Shop is as famous for its craft as for its colorful design and architecture. Relish its charm and handicrafts as you step in and lose yourself in the wonderful world of North East.

Your eyes will be dazzled by the range of authentic crafts woven and fashioned by the artisans of Sikkim.
Carpets, carved furniture, choktse table and canvas wall hangings, traditional weaves, woolen blankets, exquisite shawls, gilded thanka paintings, recherché collection of dolls, you will find it all here at Culture Gully’s Sikkim Handicraft Shop.


Come and take a piece of Sikkim home with you!

Manipur showcase its art and culture in Exhibition at Gangtok

Gangtok, Nov 21(ANI): An exhibition on cultural heritage of Manipur was recently held at Sikkim State Archives in Gangtok.

The exhibition, which commenced on November 16 and concluded on November 20, was organized by the Manipur State Museum Arts and Culture Department in collaboration with Sikkim Cultural Affair and Heritage Department.

It exhibited the cultural heritage of Manipur, including the ethnic tribes of the State from 33AD to the 18th century.

Y. Binita Devi, Assistant Curator of the Manipur State Museum in Imphal, said that the exhibition was aimed at bringing Manipur and Sikkim together by highlighting the cultural bonds.

“We have brought this exhibition to the scenic beauty of Sikkim to highlight the culture of Manipur. So, we can interact with the cultural heritage of Sikkim and Manipur, to bring integration, peace and harmony and also preserve the cultural heritage for the future,” Devi said.

The exhibits included Buddhist artifacts recovered from excavations, royal utensils, Meitei jewellery, tribal clan sword and ancient artworks and paintings.The exhibition was widely appreciated by the people of Sikkim.

“For the first time, such an exhibition has been held in Sikkim. It at least depicts Manipur’s culture and we also can have some idea about the culture and tradition of Manipur,” said Dilip Kumar, a local resident.
(ANI)

Sikkimese girls are being gainfully trained in craft

Pakyong,Nov20 : With the help of Directorate of Handicrafts & Handloom, Govt. of Sikkim, many educated young girls of Parakha and its surrounding places are being trained for handloom, carpet making and multi-crafts in their own locality where a branch training centre has been set-up.
At present out of 23 trainees, 11 girls are getting training in Handloom, 8 in carpet and 4 girls in multi-crafts. One of the trainees at the training centre here at Parakha, Miss Pabitra Sharma of Machong said, “I am undergoing training here at this centre for two years in carpet making and I have learnt to weave colorful items and still learning to make more items.” She added, “We are happy to learn in the centre”. At present there are four trainers who are giving training to the trainees. One of the trainers of the centre Mrs. Tika Maya Chettri said, “At present we train to make items like table mats, file covers, bags, carpet, table cloth and others items with mixture of different colors; the items made by the trainees is being appreciated by the customers”.

Visually impaired Sikkim artist enables others for self-reliance

GANGTOK - A visually impaired bamboo artisan in Sikkim imparts training to many other disadvantaged people like him and help them gain self-reliance in life.
The 37-year-old Chandra Singh Gurung is one of the visually challenged workers offering training to enthusiastic artists under Directorate of handloom and industry in Cane and Bamboo crafts.
Gurung is a master bamboo and cane artist. He has been working in the bamboo and cane unit of the Directorate of Handicrafts and Handlooms for over a decade and has set an example of self-reliance.
The principal handicrafts of the region include basketwork, cane furniture, bamboo flower, mats and woodcarvings. The items which are made include stools, flowers, pen stands, picture frames, baskets, dust bins, beer mugs, hair clips and butterfly wall decoration.
Having learnt the art of Moda making (cane or bamboo stools) at the Kalimpong Salvation Army Institution, the Braille matriculate Gurung joined the Directorate as an artisan in 1986.
He tells that Government has opened many schemes for the people like him where they could learn the art as per their talent.
“Indian Government has opened many schemes for the people like us. I’m doing this cane and bamboo work in Sikkim. Others can go in for light engineering while still others can take up physiotherapy as per their talent,” said Gurung.
Every ‘moda’ Gurung makes sells at anything between 9.24 dollars to 10.27 dollars a piece.
Gurung is today not just a worker but a trainer as well and has trained jail inmates at the state prison in Rongyek, near Gangtok.
Namrata Thapa, directorate of Handicraft and Handloom Industry, Sikkim said that in this institute the students could earn while they learnt.
“This is the institute where we are providing employment opportunities to the physically handicapped people as far as possible not only the employment opportunities but we are giving them training in different crafts also as per their aptitude in their fields that they are interested to pursue,” said Thapa.
By Tashi Pradhan(ANI)

Sikkim Handicrafts @ Bangkok Trade Meet

Bangkok, Oct 2 (ANI): Most of the small entrepreneurs from different parts of the North East States, who have come to participate in the "North East India Trade and Investment Opportunities Week" in Bangkok, have welcomed the initiative to expose the region to the outside world for investment.
The entrepreneurs said that if Thailand could make big progress in a span of three decades, then the North East region, which is full of natural resources and human potentialities, could also bring such rapid changes.
With this belief Ghotoli Suu Sema, a small time entrepreneur from Dimapur in Nagaland has come to Thailand. She has brought traditional Naga dresses and handicrafts to the Thai capital.
"Since there have been peaceful atmosphere for a decade we have seen a lot of development even at the village level," said Suu Sema, adding, "People of Nagaland are hardworking...I think varieties we are catering to the market are very exciting for outsiders."
She has brought around fifteen people with her to showcase her range of products to Thai people and business leaders.
Santi, a Thai visitor to the North Eastern stalls was quite impressed by the range of products displayed. He however felt sad that these things he could not buy them in Thailand.
"Thai people like these products especially shirt, shawl and handbags. Price is not expensive," said Santi, who wants to visit North East.
Okenda Tayang, a tour operator from Arunachal Pradesh, who runs Abor Country Travels and Expeditions, feels that Indian leaders and business delegation should learn from Thai experience. He wonders why we can't do the things the way Thais are doing.
"For every kind of development you need infrastructure in terms of good road or good electricity. Something that we have to learn, out leaders and dignitaries should pick up from them", emphasizes Tayang.
Even the tiny state like Sikkim has sent a sizable delegation. It is trying to promote itself in a big way.
" We have come here to interact with the investor and businessmen so that we can sell our products and also gain some experience, have some idea and knowledge of some other people also", said Namrta Thapa one of the government officials associated with the Handicrafts & Handloom directorate of Sikkim. Ten thankas (Buddhist painting) from Sikkim are at display in "Northeast Investor Opportunity Week" exhibition center,Bangkok, Thailand, from day one. "We are also displaying ten Buddhist paintings, handmade Lepcha carpet adorned with seven rainbow colours, round wooden decoration carved table, cardamom pouch, cotton kurta, laptop bags, handmade purse, wallet and other items in the fair," Ms Namrata Thapa, director of state handcrafts and handlooms department, said

Chief Ministers of Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Manipur are also attending the meet.
Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio sounded quite optimistic about the whole event. "Something good will come out" he said talking to ANI.
In fact, Nagaland has sent the largest delegation to the event with a contingent of entrepreneurs and musicians.
Investment week is a follow up of the Third North East business Summit held in Delhi, which was attended by over 1000 delegates from India and abroad. (ANI)

Dr.Chamling eyes global market

GANGTOK: Sikkim chief minister Mr Pawan Chamling has urged the Centre to market the state's handicrafts products in international market from Delhi. Mr Chamling recently met Union textile minister Mr Shankar Singh Vagehla in New Delhi and requested him to promote Sikkim's handicrafts products. "I told Mr Vagehla that Sikkim does not have its Emporium in an up-market area in New Delhi owing to which the state is unable to tap the full potential of marketing its handicrafts products. I requested him for allotment of a suitable space for Sikkim Emporium in the Rajiv Gandhi Handicrafts Bhawan located at Baba Kharg Singh Marg in New Delhi," Mr Chamling, said."The reason behind demanding an Emporium is to showcase the rich, vibrant and colorful traditional handlooms and handicrafts items of Sikkim. This will benefit in bridging the gap between productions and much-needed marketing facilities and would support the craftsmen of the state, thereby solving the unemployment problem of youths in rural areas," the chief minister, said.Mr Chamling added that Mr Vaghela has assured him of extending full help for development of handicrafts and handlooms in Sikkim.