Musical boost for Tibetan carpets in Arunachal Pradesh

The ₹15-lakh overhaul of a weaving centre has worked wonders

An investment in a music system may power the journey of a carpet-weaving centre in Arunachal Pradesh from gloom to a GI (geographical indication) boom.

Floor and wall carpets have been the unique selling point for the Choephelling Cooperative Society since it was established in 1975 by Tibetan refugees on the outskirts of Miao, a subdivisional headquarters in Changlang district.

But productivity slumped after more than four decades and the society was finding it hard to replace the ageing weavers with younger, faster ones. Reasons: the carpet unit and its wooden looms were falling apart and a poor lighting system was affecting the eyesight of the weavers.

The scenario changed after the Changlang district administration undertook a ₹15-lakh project to overhaul the carpet-weaving centre a few months ago.

“The old looms were non-adjustable. For carpets of different sizes, they had to dismantle a loom and reinstall it, wasting a day in the process. The weavers also had to sit on a low wooden block, bend and stand for different stages of work on a carpet,” said Sunny K. Singh, Changlang’s Deputy Commissioner.

“We replaced the old looms with 30 adjustable third-generation metal looms and provided ergonomic seats that are adjustable to four heights, thus eliminating bending and standing. The interiors were redone to make them cooler and airier while soothing ceiling lights were provided for better illumination,” he said.

The game changer was a music system worth ₹68,000. It plays a range of Tibetan and popular songs, often in sync with the movement of the weavers’ hands and fingers.