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Nepal Shopping
Shopping in Nepal is easy.
With a little money and some time one can obtain the best buys this little
kingdom has to offer. It will be helpful to have a Nepali for company if a
huge shopping project is at hand. Common tourist shopping items include
souvenirs and trinkets like gems and jewelry. However, one should be careful
while buying jewelry as assessing their quality is difficult. Hand-weaved
cotton fabric is a popular buy among visitors. Some buy pashmina that this
Himalayan region is famous for and some also buy fresh tea and spices.
Popular buys among visitors
are local craft and artwork. Among these are the Tibetan and Newar Thangka
and Paubha paintings that belong to the time when these cultures were at
their peak. Visitors buy Newari woodcrafts of picture frames, windows,
statues and carvings. Carpets that represent the age-old folk art of the
Tibetans are also very popular. Shops have rugs on display, however, carpets
can be custom made by contacting the manufacturer. Traditional Nepali paper
is popular as writing pads and bound journals, calendars and lampshades.
There are government
restrictions that visitors should be aware of before purchasing items to
take home. Antiques are not permitted to be taken out of the country. Hence
inspection by the Department of Archeology is required for export of
antiques. To be on the safe side, visitors should have all material examined
by the Department of Archeology and obtain a certificate from the office
before leaving Nepal.
http://www.welcomenepal.com/brand/thingstodo_shopping.asp
Shopping can be very rewarding and
exciting in Kathmandu. There are numbers tourists' shops on the main street and
in the arcades of hotels bursting with tempting jewelries, image, clothes and
typical Nepalese craft. In some of the small village shops one can obtain
traditional makes and beautiful potteries. Antiques can be taken out of the
country with special permission granted by the Department of Archeology Nepal
only. Traditional crafts mans colony in Patan is also famous shopping center for
Nepalese handicraft.
Some very popular buys
include goods such as, knitted mittens and socks, topi (Nepali cap), Tibetan
dresses, multicolored jackets and shirts and pashmina (fine goat's-wool
blankets), khukri (the national knife), saranghi (a small, four-stringed viola
played with a horse-hair bow), Tibetan tea bowls, paper mashe masks, Buddhist
statues, bamboo flutes and many other folks goods. Here has been mention
probable products for shopping to give gifts when ou back from Nepal trip. We
are happy to inform you that we provide you shopping guide upon your request.
Please send us an
email for more information.
Woodwork:
Woodcraft is the speciality of the Newar artisans of the Kathmandu Valley. Among
the items that you may wish to purchase while in Kathmano its making, and the
details that have been worked into it.
However, windows and frames
are not the only items on sale. Statues of gods, erotic carvings, traditional
figures, and carvings with modern motifs are also available. The wooden images
are made by using tools that were used a thousand years ago. Some of shopping
products from Nepal has been given below.
Metalwork:
The metal work is also exceptional. Statues of high quality are available for
prices ranging from a few thousand rupees to gold inlaid life-sized works. The
lost was method is used to create these works of art. The wax figure is covered
with clay and put in the sun to dry. Once ready, the wax is melted out and
molten metal poured into the clay hollow. When the metal cools down and sets,
the clay covering is destroyed and careful work with hammer, chisel and sanding
material follows. The metal statue is then painted as per the specifications of
reli gion or as per the request of the client.
Gurkha Khukuri is one of its kind of knives found only in Nepal. Price ranges
according to the hardness of the blade and the origin of its make. Nepal are
excellent and ornate knives for decor are also available.
Carpets:
Tibetan carpets are popular floor coverings in Europe and much of Nepal's
foreign exchange earnings have come from the sale of carpets in the past two
decades. The designs are traditional as well as modern. The modern designs have
been created by some of the best artists working today in Europe and the
products of the better manufacturers have graced many a Tibetan rug collection.
Today, special effort is being made to break into the American and Japanese
markets with special designs and quality rugs.
Gems and Jewellry:
Nepal has some of the best goldsmiths and silver smiths in the worid, i.e. the
Newar craftsmen, who have been delighting collectors and royal patrons with
their exquisite creations for more than 600 years. So if you've ever wanted to
own the finest jewellry, at a fractian of the cost you'd pay at home, Nepal is
the place.
Nepal's most distinctive gems are the exquisite tourmalines from the eastern
ranges, in pink, sunset rose, peach, golden, amber and green. There are very
rare lime-green tourmalines that are found novdhere else, and some with more
than one color in a single stone. The newly-discovered lemon-yellow tourmalines
are especially fine.
Thangkas and Paubhas:
For hundreds of years, scroll paintings have decorated the walls of monasteries,
temples, and homes in East Asia.
Especially, the Tibetan and Newar styles come from a time when these cultures
were at their peak. Most of the older surviving scroll paintings are reminders
of a period when the rulers and the public were concentrating upon the arts as
offerings to the deities.
Mithila Paintings:
The Mithila paintings, known as Madhubani paint ings in India and Janakpur
paintings in Nepal, are a common practice among the women of southern Nepal. The
wind, sun, and rain very easily discolor these wall paintings, but they were not
designed to withstand climate and time. The paintings, in fact, are usually
painted over with clay when the women house clean for the next festival.
Handwoven Cloth:
Many weavers in the Valley produce handwoven cot ton cloth of many colors and
patterns. Visitors will find beautifully designed clothing and fabrics in
Kathmandu's shops. The Magars of western Nepal also weave fabrics for readymade
gar ments. Tussar which is the best Nepalese silk is not shiny but has a nat
ural glow. It is made from an undomes ticated forest worm found in the south ern
jungle regions. The Newars of the Kathmandu Valley and the Rai people of eastern
Nepal have passed on the tradition of making blockprinted paper and cloth to
modern producers.
Paper Products:
Traditional Nepalese paper, popularly known as "rice paper" is actually made of
lokta bark found in remote areas of the coun try. Because of its strength,
govern ment offices use it for official docu ments. Many stores in Thamel and
Patan sell writing pads and bound jour nals, as well as calendars and lamp
shades of lokta paper.
Baskets
In the Terai region, bas kets used for household and decorative purposes are
made from grass. The baskets come in different shapes and sizes according to
their application.
Raw jute which is one of Nepal's largest exports is grown in the southern Terai
region and made into baskets and other materials.
margin-left:63.0pt">Practicalities:
There are government restrictions that visitors should be aware of before
purchasing items to take home. Antiques are not permitted to be taken out of
Nepal. An inspection by the Department of Archaeology is required for any
exports of antiques. To be on the safe side, visitors should have antique
Tibetan carpets, old thangkas, and metal statues examined by the Department of
Archaeology. They should then obtain a certificate from the office before
leaving Nepal. If you need more information, please click
here to email us. |
