Explore Kullu: "The End of the Habitable World"

Many monasteries and temples have been established and the Hindus and Buddhists live harmoniously together, establishing a culture of caring for the environment and animals.

Being well integrated as a community of shepherds, farmers, spinners and weavers, there are no differences between men and women in either work or aspirations. Elders and young people work together. Generations follow the same trade.

Sheep grazing on the hillside, terrace farming, brick houses and shopping establishments on the top of the hill, makes up the essence of what is the tiny hill town of Kullu.

Small village homes always have a patch of cultivable land on which the whole family cultivates some of the basic needs for their kitchen.

Everything is pure, organic and wholesome as is the wool they weave.

Tiny clusters of houses like these can be found tucked away below, on slopes that can be accessed only by hardy locals and trekkers willing to descend and climb again as a routine exercise.

Along the mountain road between Kullu and Chamba, a sizeable collection of memorial or 'heroic' stones stand on display.

They were found by locals during excavations in a village field. These stones were made as offerings by victors or in memory of those who died in battle.

The love of baby lambs in Himachal Pradesh is a part of the integration of the people with all manner of nature and reflects a relationship of interdependence between animals and man.

A wooden structure that looks strangely top heavy is one of the many temples in the region.

This curiously made, elaborately carved one, called the Poochh Devi Mandir, is one of the popular places of worship for locals and those who come from distant places.

The wood panels on the exterior facade of the Poochh Devi temple in Kullu town hints at extensive wood carving inside.

The inner corridors of the Poochh Devi temple reveal a prolific amount of carving on its walls, doors and ceilings.

Wood craft skill is another specialty apart from Kullu handloom weaving, for which Himachal Pradesh is known.

Prior to 1864, handloom weavers of Himachal lived in Shimla District, weaving on their pit looms. They eventually moved to Kinnaur and finally to Kullu, setting up frame looms.

The cold climate and plentiful sheep and goats, gave them enough raw material to weave lois as blankets and pattu lengths to stitch together to make heavy overcoats for winter.

Women in Kullu are as adept at weaving as the menfolk. Almost every weavers’ home has a veranda where women will take turns to spin, sort yarn and threads and weave.

Om Prakash Malhotra is a master weaver who encouraged his young daughter to become a textile engineer and come back to work on their family looms.

His family and workers pose together, surrounding the cheerful old spinner who clearly loves his work.

Narotam Ram stands with his entire family in front of their own store in Kullu.

The flex banner may not be perfect in its graphics or aesthetics but they offer the best of the state.

A bundle of shawls lies in Narotam Ram’s store in Kullu, waiting to be dispatched.

Narotam Ram and his son sit in their shop offering the best of Kullu’s handloom shawls to customers.

Shops in the town of Kullu sell Himalayan weaves in a variety of items and serve the needs of tourists. Smaller sundry crafts of Himachal Pradesh are also sold at such stores.

The typical geometric designs that identify a Kullu handloom textile along with inputs of new varieties of wool like pashmina, merino and angora, gave the Kullu fabrics a wider range of finer textures, designs and colours.

Success in the marketplaces encouraged excellence and innovation, and increased their access to international markets.

Read more about Kullu shawls here:
- Weaving a Kullu shawl
- Taming the wool