New Delhi, Apr 2 (KNN) With a view to revive handicrafts, popularly known as Kalimpong Crafts in the hills, the West Bengal Khadi and Village Industries Board (WBKVIB) have taken up projects to foster craftsmen.

Due to carelessness of previous board of the Gorkha Territorial Administration in the Darjeeling Hills, the Kalimpong Crafts have been declining.

A senior official of WBKVIB said "We are setting up Arts and Handicraft Development Centres (HDC) at places like Kurseong, Kalimpong, Darjeeling, Sipaidhura, Sukhia Pokri and some other places to provide a platform for these craftsmen in marketing their products in a much better way.”

He further added that apart from this, various Counters will be set up for display and sale of their products.

It has also been mentioned that the Kalimpong is known for weaving of Tibetan woolen carpets and the Tibetan women of Darjeeling spun the wool on traditional spinning wheels known as Chassba.

Bold colors and geometric patterns are being used for the designing of carpets and most common of all carpets is the ‘dun’, a small bedside carpet which has up-to sixty knots to a square inch.

Further, the official informed that the number of people involved in these crafts have shifted to other places in search of other trade and profession.

Thus he said, “We will woo them to return to their area of expertise and accordingly, groom them to take up work at these HDC's.”

The handicrafts of the hills are different and unique from the crafts of other districts from Bengal and also the distinguish feature is that they express the cultural heritage of Buddhism prevailing in the eastern Himalyas.

Traditional Hill craftsmen are good in preparing sculptural model of bronze figures using wax and they are also skilled at making beautiful cane baskets of various sizes, designs and shape.

Thus in order to support and protect the traditional handicrafts of the hills, the top officials of state MSME department along with other officials of WBKVIB have drawn an elaborative plan for rolling out the project during the first Hill Business Summit in the middle of March and a fund of Rs 2.8 crore has already been earmarked for this cause. (With inputs from a media report) (KNN/YV)