247. Chamba Chappal

Chamba Chappal (slipper) are traditional footwear which is unique for its artistic details and beauty from Himachal Pradesh. The striking feature of Chamba Chappals is the embroidery done on them. Chamba Chappals are a tradition that dated back to the times of King Charat Singh (in the early ninth century). 

The traditional Chamba chappal was “nok-wali” or “nokdar” prepared from locally made leather embroidered with silver and gold threads on soft velvet cloth for ladies and gents. But the creativity of the artists has brought them to this point where they have about a dozen varieties to sell - Pathu, Slipper or V-shaped, fish-design, teen patti wali, ek patti wali, chandani and baloo for women and nokdar, bina nok wali sandal type and pathu for men. 

Image credit: outlookindia.com

The origin of Chamba Chappals dates back to 1808. A Katoch princess, sister of Raja Bir Singh of Nurpur, protested against her marriage proposal to Raja Charat Singh (1808-1844) of Chamba feeling that people of Chamba wore crude shoes. Therefore, a cobbler from Panj Baria village of Nurpur (Kangra) was sent in her dowry to make beautiful embroidered leather footwear for her. The descendants of that family still reside in Chamba town and they are known by the name of Panj Baria.

The major raw material is sheep and goat skin, fancy leather, other leather, locally made ordinary sole leather, chrome leather for upper portion of slippers, silver and gold threads locally known as russi-tilla. The designs on these chappals consist of leaves and flowers. 

There are two types of Chappals -  one is plain footwear while the other is embroidered. The first are made by men and the latter are made by women. These are handcrafted leather-made chappals that come in natural leather as well as other colours. Traditional Chamba Chappals plain or embroidered, are exceptionally comfortable to wear. 

In General, the embroidery is done on a separate piece of felt using brightly coloured silk yarn known as Chamba Kadhai and a hooked needle. Gold and silver threads known as Russi-tilla are also used. These embroidered felt pieces are then pasted or stitched using velvet cloth on the chappals. The footwear so made is not only beautiful, but also very comfortable and sturdy. The Chamba Chappals have leather/rubber sole to provide support while walking on hard/ hilly terrain

They are embroidered with multicoloured threads - red, black, green, yellow and blue, and imitation zari (gold thread). Apart from Chappals, you can also pick from a range of shoes, sandals, socks and belts. Today, in keeping with the modern trends, new varieties and designs of leather goods have been added to the traditional list like fancy shoes, sandals, shoes, belts etc. 

GI Tag Registration Date         : 14 September 2021

GI Tag Number                         : 614

Certificate Number                  : 403

Geographical Area                  : Himachal Pradesh

Special Cover Release Date   : 06 February 2022

Cancellation                             : Chamba 176 310

Type                                          : GI Tag Cover

Cover Identification Number  : HP/02/2022

Cover has embossed images of Chamba Chappal and QR code provided at the back side of cover.

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246. Chamba Rumal

Chamba Rumal is a pictorial craft that represents unique embroidery, which originated and flourished during 17th -18th centuries in Chamba Valley in the State of Himachal Pradesh. In fact Rumal is a Persian word which means a handkerchief. However, the embroidery work done on a hand spun khaddar or a fine muslin cloth which is in square format, is known as Chamba Rumal. The sizes vary from as small as handkerchief to Towels to as big as Bed Spread Sheets.

The colour of thread used in the Chamba Rumal varies and no Rumal is ever embroidered in a single colour. In the folk style, the colours tend to be bright and bold and include pink, lemon yellow, purple and green. The more sophisticated colour palette includes ochre, dark green, blue and paler shades. 

Image credit: ibef.org

Generally, the ground fabric used in Chamba Rumal is hand-spun and hand –woven cotton (khaddar) or fine muslin (mal-ml) of off-white colour. Such off-white base of the fabric highlights the vibrant silken threads filled in the drawing made upon. However, for platter covers or other coverlets, red or blue coloured cloth has also been employed. 

The figures as well as the floral patterns drawn on the Chamba rumals are filled in with the untwisted silk floss also known as pat. Apart from the figurative forms, a number of animal and bird motifs have also been frequently used in Chamba rumals. These designs and motifs were drawn by the Pahari painters themselves, whereas the folk designs, in which the figures bear small rounded faces like parrot beaks, seem to have been drawn on their own by the women embroiderers.

In the layout of the compositions of the chamba rumals , the central space is generally occupied by the figures of Radha-Krishna , Shiva – Parvati, Ganesha, Durga, Dasavatara of Vishnu and Nayak-Nayika. However, the Rasamandala, the round dance of Krishna with his gopis, is one of the most popular subjects seen invariably in the Chamba Rumals.

Shikar the hunting scenes depict a large variety of animals and flora and fauna besides hunters seated on galloping horses or musketeers chasing wild animals are shown carrying swords or guns or shooting arrows at boars or deer. Sometimes a confrontation with a leopard is also shown.

Chamba Rumals are embroidered with the technique of double satin stitches known as ‘do- rukha- tanka’ is carried forward and backward alternately and both sides of the cloth are stitched simultaneously, so that the space on both sides is filled up making the designs on both sides look equally effective and identical in content. Knot does not appear in the threads used in embroidery.

Besides unique Do-Rukha Tanka, the outline in black thread marked with Dandi tanka, the Stem Stitch which is also a unique characteristic. After filling the colourful threads in the figures and floral designs, these are finally enclosed with a fine line worked out in black thread, which apparently lends the powerful effect as seen in Pahari miniature painting.

The most common shape and size of Chamba rumal is square and oblong, round (circular) pieces are rare, which were used only for covering baskets (chhad and chhabdu) during marriage. For the embroidery work on cholis, caps or coverlets the coarse khaddar is used, whereas only finely woven muslin fabric is used for the Rumals.

GI Tag Registration Date         : 09 September 2008

GI Tag Number                         : 79

Certificate Number                  : 84

Geographical Area                  : Himachal Pradesh

Special Cover Release Date   : 06 February 2022

Cancellation                             : Chamba 176 310

Type                                          : GI Tag Cover

Cover Identification Number  : HP/01/2022

Cover has embossed images of Chamba Rumal and also a sample of the Chamba Rumal. QR code provided at the back side of cover.

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India post has also issued a postage stamp on Chamba Rumal. Details of the same are furnished below

Sheetlet - Embroideries of India - Chamba Rumal
Issued on 19 December 2019

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238. Himachali Chulli Oil

Himachali Chulli Oil is a type of oil extracted from Wild apricot (Prunus armeniaca L.) commonly known as Chulli, Chulu, Share or Zardalu and abundantly found in many parts of Himachal Pradesh. In Kinnaur District while Apricot is called ‘CHUL’ and Aru is ‘REG’ in the local dialect. A variety called sweet Kernel of the wild apricot is called ‘BIJA’.   

Chulli is perishable in nature and its harvest season is short. Apricots are mostly used for preparation of different value added products. The stones/ pits left after processing is used for oil extraction. Apricot fruit’s stones yield kernels, which may be both sweet as well as bitter in taste. Both types of kernels can be utilized for extraction of oil. 

Image credit: indiamart.com

Chulli oil is locally extracted for domestic use in almost all the households out of the kernels of the Chul, Reg after the age old process. Kernels of stones of apricot & Peaches are taken out & dried in the sun for 2‐3 days. Dried kernels are put into kaning (stone mortar) & pounded repeatedly with pestle to a thick paste. 

Paste is then put into a cauldron & highly heated. Small cakes are made out of heated paste. Each cake is placed on the edge of the mortar & pressed with heavy hands so that oil starts oozing out of the cake & running into the mortar. The oil so obtained is conveyed from the mortar into a metal or an earthen ware locally called Ghagri. 

Oil cakes are crumpled into small pieces & dried in the Sun for a couple of days & again subjected to the original process to get the remaining oil out of them. The oil cakes are then used as cattle food. Distilled or fermented liquor is prepared for household use by employing indigenous methods & implements out of all kinds of fruits & grains. 

The physio‐chemical characteristics of Himachali Chulli oil reveal that it has higher concentration of Linoleic acid as compared to other Chulli oils. The Himachali chulli oil has a higher saponification value making it suitable for soap production and Poly Unsaturated Fatty acids (PUFA) so could be used as massage oil and pain reliever

The Chulli Oil (Apricot oil) is known to reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Also it is important for skin, hair growth, and regulation of cholesterol metabolism. The Apricot oil can be used for both edible and pharmaceutical purposes.

GI Tag Registration Date         : 04 March 2019

GI Tag Number                         : 468

Certificate Number                  : 338

Geographical Area                  : Himachal Pradesh

Special Cover Release Date   : 25 December 2021

Cancellation                             : Reckong Peo 172 107

Type                                          : GI Tag Cover

Cover Identification Number  : HP/08/2021

Cover has images of Himachali Chulli Oil with Golden Foil borders and also with Golden letters. QR code provided at the back side of cover.

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India post has also issued commemorative postage stamps on Himachali Chulli Oil. Details of the same is furnished below.

Postage Stamp Extracted from Souvenir Sheet 
"Geographical Indications : Agriculture Goods"
Issued on 13 February 2023

237.Kinnauri Shawl

Kinnauri Shawls are widely renowned for the intricacy, finesse in weaving and elaborate geometrical designs from Himachal Pradesh. It is a blend of two weaves: A basic weave for the ground and body fabric and extra-weft for the design. The basic weave for the body and ground is twill. Twill is used in all its forms: Basic twill, pointed twill, herringbone twill and basket weaves. All designs are done on four shafts.

Kinnauri Shawl is known as Chhali in local dialect. Women wear chhali toproo (Shawl of designing pattern) whereas men wear plain chhali.  Kinnauri Caps are used by both men and women. There is a green strip (patika) made of welvet on it. In local dialect it is called Thepang and flowers used on it is called Chaumoka. 

Image credit: himachalgi.com

Many of the motifs woven have a special symbolic and religious significance. The colours used for ground are white, black, natural grey and brown. The main colours used for patterning are red, orange, pink, blue, green, yellow, black and white. Out of these five colours represent five elements—white stands for water, yellow for earth, red for fire, green for air and blue for ether.

Many a times, they have patterned borders running all along the four edges thereby increasing the labour involved and making Kinnauri shawls more expensive than Kullu Shawls. Most of the shawls for commercial use are woven on the frame loom, though the ones for local use are still woven on the pitloom. Here the weaver weaves it in two pieces of half width each and later joins them from the center with elaborate hand stitching.

Some of the common woven items from Kinnauri are

• Pattu – A woolen fabric draped by women like a stole. 

• Dohru – A woolen fabric “saree” worn by the women. 

• Shawl – A light woolen fabric draped around the shoulders and chest by women. 

• Chaddar – A gents shawl. 

• Patti – Local tweed used for coats, jackets and trousers.

In terms of placement of the pattern / design the Kinnauri Shawls are of three main types: 

• Single Border: Kinnauri geometrical pattern along the both ends of the Shawl 

• Single Export: Kinnauri pattern running across the four edges. It takes about a month to weave a single shawl.

• Full Export: Also called “Kinnauri teen (three) Patti”. These shawls have three Kinnauri pattern woven in horizontal stripes at both ends of the shawl along another pattern running across the two other sides. These shawls are the most prized and most expensive of all and it can take as much as 45-60 days to weave one.

GI Tag Registration Date         : 04 August 2010

GI Tag Number                         : 149

Certificate Number                  : 125

Geographical Area                  : Himachal Pradesh

Special Cover Release Date   : 25 December 2021

Cancellation                             : Reckong Peo 172 107

Type                                          : GI Tag Cover

Cover Identification Number  : HP/07/2021

Cover has embossed images of Kinnauri Shawl with Gold Foil borders and also a sample of the Kinnauri Shawl. QR code provided at the back side of cover.

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195. Kullu Shawl

Kullu Shawl is a light woollen fabric, which is usually draped around and over the chest and shoulders by people of Kullu Valley, Himachal Pradesh. Traditionally, two types of shawls are woven here: the Pattu for women and the chadru for men. Both are much larger than the shawls used by people in the plains. 

Kullu Shawl is well known for its unique texture, yarn and typical traditional design patterns. It could be specified as the fabric made on handloom with yarn on which value addition is done by inserting design threads during weaving by hand to develop geometric/ floral motifs in such a manner that both sides of fabric gives the same look. 

Textures, method of weaving are its unique features. The yarn used to manufacture the Shawl is still spun by traditional methods and fabricated on Khaddis (Traditional Handlooms). The price of shawls depends upon the quality of wool and the pattern. Besides Shawls, Caps and mufflers are also being manufactured in Kullu.

Image credit : himalayankraft.in

Skilled labour is required for carrying out designing and weaving operations to maintain optimum production. Kinds of yarn used to manufacture the Shawls are local wool, Marino wool, Angora, Pashmina, synthetic yarn, cotton, and Yak wool.

Local wool is acquired from sheep bred in Himachal Pradesh. Most of the sheep are migratory. In summers, the local shepherds called Gaddies migrate from the villages to the higher hills for grazing. In winters, the sheep are brought back to their villages. This wool is obtainable in natural white, black, and grey and brown. 

A distinctive feature of Kullu Shawls is the stripes or band running horizontally widthwise at the lateral ends. These bands are decorated with a variety of patterns woven in brilliant colours like yellow, green, white or red on a black background or orange and green on a brown base.

Some shawls display a flying bird motif scattered over the surface. Motifs such a stylized floral patterns (Phul); dolls with raised hands (guddi), drops, (tipu); and stars, (tara), are evenly distributed between parallel lines and form hands of decoration. 

Birds (chiri), plain snake (sada kiru) spotted snake (dabbidar kiru), temple (mandir), nightingales's eye (bulbul chashm); key (chabi), waves (laheriya); rose (gulab); staircase (sirihri), dot patterns, (danedar) and interlinked swastikas, (jura hua Ganesh), comprise the traditional repertoire of motifs.

Kullu Shawl designs are geometrical in nature whereas other shawls are embroidery based. Kullu Shawls have the unique characteristics in its weaving, designing and colour combination which gives the same look from both sides.

GI Tag Registration Date         : 12 December 2005

GI Tag Number                         : 19

Certificate Number                  : 14

Geographical Area                  : Himachal Pradesh

Special Cover Release Date   : 20 October 2021

Cancellation                             : Kullu 175 101

Type                                          : GI Tag Cover

Cover Identification Number  : HP/14/2021

Cover has a QR Code at the back side.

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The logo of Kullu Shawl is also registered as different GI Tag. 

India post has released a special cover on Logo of Kullu Shawl also, the details of the same is furnished below.

GI Tag Registration Date         : 03 March 2014

GI Tag Number                         : 383

Certificate Number                  : 200

Geographical Area                  : Himachal Pradesh

Special Cover Release Date   : 20 October 2021

Cancellation                             : Kullu 175 101

Type                                          : GI Tag Cover

Cover Identification Number  : HP/15/2021

Cover has a QR Code at the back side.

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167. Himachali Kala Zeera

Himachali Kala Zeera (Black cumin) is an economically important medicinal plant and spice herb growing wild in the dry temperate regions of North western Himalayas. It is a small, grassy and perennial plant, which produces white or pink compound umbel of flowers on the terminal and lateral stems during the third year of its life

Image Credit. www.economictimes.com

It grows as a wild plant in the forests and grassy slopes of dry temperate and high mountainous regions (1850 ‐ 3100m amsl), comprising regions of Kinnaur, Lahaul ‐ Spiti, Pangi and Bharmaur of Himachal Pradesh. 

Biological classification of Rice is as given below.

Kingdom     : Plantae 

Division      : Tracheophyta 

Class          : Magnoliopsida

Order         : Apiales

Family       : Apiaceae 

Genus       : Bunium

Species    : persicum (Boiss.) B. Fedtsch.

Himachali Kala zeera grows wild in the forest areas and farmers collect the matured seeds from the forests areas. In some parts of the state it cultivated for commercial purposes. In Shong village, District Kinnaur, Kalazeera is being cultivated as a cash crop on large scale.

Kala Jeera is also called Shahi Zeera. Shahi word is derived from the Persian word ‘syahi’ which means black, this is where Kala Zeera derives its name from. It is a basic ingredient in Himachali cuisine as well a very popular spice in north Indian cuisine. Generally used to flavour curry and rice dishes. 

It has a higher concentration of volatile oils responsible for its unique flavour and taste. Its stem is often hollow in the internodal region with secretory canals containing ethereal oils and resins. 

Several therapeutic effects including those on digestive disorders, urinary tract disorders, diuretic, gynaecologic, anti‐convulsion, anti helmetic, anti asthma, and dyspnea have been described for the seeds

Black cumin seeds contain essential oils rich in monoterpene aldehydes; the main components are cuminaldehyde, p‐mentha‐1,3‐dien‐7‐al and p‐mentha‐1,4‐dien‐7‐al; terpene hydrocarbons are ‐terpinene, p‐cymene, ‐pinene.

The major difference between Himachali Kalazeera and other species is the presence of higher concentration of volatiles oils, containing higher percentages of aldehydes responsible for the flavour of the seeds and lower percentages of terpene hydrocarbons.

GI Tag Registration Date         : 04 March 2019

GI Tag Number                         : 432

Certificate Number                  : 336

Geographical Area                  : Himachal Pradesh

Special Cover Release Date   : 05 October 2021

Cancellation                             : Shimla 171 001

Type                                          : GI Tag Cover

Cover Identification Number  : HP/09/2021

The back side of the cover has a QR Code.

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