Bhotia Dann is a unique form of hand-knotted carpet, that is woven in the high altitude regions of the state of Uttarakhand, by the Bhotia tribe particularly in the districts of Uttarkashi, Chamoli, Pithoragarh and Bageshwar. The use of natural dyes and traditional weaving techniques gives Bhotia rugs their unique and beautiful look.
These are hand knotted carpets, made up of pure wool with the conventional design patterns, inspired by traditional Bhotia cultural themes which are very similar to old Tibetan carpets/rugs. The designs mostly comprise geometric patterns, which gives them a unique and elegant appearance.
The whole process of production of carpet requires highly skilled labour and every step is executed manually, starting from shearing the sheep, preparation and dyeing the yarn, weaving the knots, to finishing of the product. Therefore, whole process of carpet manufacturing is carried out using traditional tools such as Local Charkhas, Bageshwari Charkhas, Kaanth, Panja and knife and loom machines.
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The raw material used for making Bhotia dann is wool. The sheep that provide the wool, are reared by these tribes at high altitude. This results in high quality, long lasting, soft wool which provides suitable warmth. The wool is first sheared from the sheep, and then it is washed to remove any impurities.
The wool is then dyed in natural colours such as indigo, madder and other to get a wide range of colours. The dyes used to colour the woollen threads are natural dyes prepared from plant extracts. The colours used to dye the threads are extracted from local wood, leaves, roots etc, that make carpets more vivacious. Other natural products used for obtaining desired colours are turmeric, wheat flour etc.
The spun yard is arranged onto a frame called a “warping board”. The warp is made by winding the yarn onto the board in parallel lines. The weaving process starts by setting up a loom. The warp yarns are threaded through the loom, and the weft yarns are woven in between the warp yarns using a shuttle.
Once the weaving is complete, the rug is ready to be finished. The pile of the rug is created by tying knots on each warp thread. This process is called knotting, and it is done by hand. After knotting, the pile of the rug is cut to an even length using a pair of scissors. This process is called trimming. Finally, the rug is washed to remove any dirt and impurities. The washed rug is then dried in the sun.
The carpets are woven using threads which are smaller in length, and cannot be used in weaving of other woollen products like sweaters, woollen dresses, shawls etc. These small threads are combined together, coloured and then used for weaving of the carpet. Since the resources are limited, they are utilized efficiently.
GI Tag Registration Date : 14 September 2021
GI Tag Number : 589
Certificate Number : 375
Geographical Area : Uttarakhand
Special Cover Release Date : 28 November 2021
Cancellation : Dehradun 248 001
Type : GI Tag Cover
Cover Identification Number : UK/12/2021-2022
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