Monpa Handmade Paper Industry in Tawang

  • The 1000-year old heritage art – the Monpa Handmade Paper of Arunachal Pradesh – which was driven to the extinction, has come to life once again, with the committed       efforts of  Khadi and Village                  Industries Commission (KVIC).
  • The art of making Monpa handmade paper originated over 1000 years ago. Gradually the art became an integral part of localcustom and culture in Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh.
  • Once produced in every household in Tawang, this handmade paper was a major source of livelihood for the locals.
  • However, the handmade paper industry almost disappeared in the last 100 years; prompting KVIC to plan revival of this ancient art
  • The fine-textured handmade paper, which is called Mon Shugu in the local dialect, is integral to the vibrant culture of the local tribes in Tawang.
  • The paper has great historic and religious significance as it is the paper used for writing Buddhist scriptures and hymns in monasteries.
  • The Monpa handmade paper, will be made from the bark of a local tree called Shugu Sheng, which has medicinal values too.
  • Hence availability of raw material will not be a problem.
  • Back then, such was the scale of production that Monpas used to sell these papers to countries like Tibet, Bhutan, Thailand and Japan as no paper making industry   existed in these           countries at that time. However, the local industry gradually began declining and the indigenous handmade paper was     taken over by inferior Chinese paper.
  • Once produced in every household in Tawang, this handmade paper was a major source of livelihood for the locals.
  • The fine-textured handmade paper, which is called Mon Shugu in the local dialect, is integral to the vibrant culture of the local tribes in Tawang.
  • The paper has great historic and religious significance as it is the paper used for writing Buddhist scriptures and hymns in monasteries.
  • The Monpa handmade paper, will be made from the bark of a local tree called Shugu Sheng, which has medicinal values too.
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upschacks

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