Chamoli: Women and the pastoral community of the Niti–Mana region in Chamoli district have been engaged in wool weaving for generations. Woollen items such as moti pankhi, loi, thulma, and chutka were once the identity of this region. These were woven from indigenous wool of local Palsi sheep. This very wool protected people from the harsh Himalayan cold and was also the basis of their livelihood.

However, over time, market forces changed everything. Now, trucks loaded with acrylic yarn arrive in these villages several times a year. These cheap, shiny yarns attract mountain women because caps, socks, and sweaters can be made quickly from them. Such products sell well at pilgrimage centres like Badrinath. Women sell them for ₹100–200 and feel they are earning well. In reality, the situation is quite the opposite—the real profits go to the traders. Women’s hard work gets trapped in cheap raw material and low prices. Traditional wool, original weaving, and authentic identity are gradually disappearing.

The objective of Looms of Niti–Mana in Uttarakhand is very simple: to make women owners, not labourers.

1. To revive traditional wool craftsmanship and bring back authentic Himalayan products made from indigenous Palsi sheep wool to the market.

2. To develop new hemp- and wool-based products so that premium and sustainable products can be created from mountain resources.

3. To form producer cooperatives in villages so that women and artisans collectively decide what to make, how to make it, and at what price it will be sold.

Founder of Looms of Ladakh, Mrs. Abhilasha Bahuguna, shared that this experiment has already been carried out in Ladakh, where women are producing newly designed products using local wool while keeping market demand in mind. This has generated great enthusiasm among local women, and the programme is being successfully implemented, resulting in manifold increases in their income. This is why the programme is now being introduced in Niti–Mana as well, to make the women here self-reliant.

Delhi Exhibition: A Historic Turning Point

When members of the Niti–Mana cooperative prepared to attend an exhibition in Delhi, they were unsure whether to take cheap acrylic products or their expensive, authentic products made from indigenous wool. They feared that urban customers would prefer only cheap goods. But the outcome was completely the opposite. In Delhi, their indigenous wool products sold at premium prices. People recognised the quality, the story, and the Himalayan heritage behind them. This was not just a sales success—it was the return of confidence.

Mr. Shreyansh Joshi, District Development Manager, Chamoli, National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD), stated that if women and artisans create high-quality, newly designed handloom products from local resources in line with market demand, it will certainly improve their livelihoods. He added that NABARD always extends support in making local communities self-reliant.

The Niti–Mana Cooperative Society is being jointly developed by Mrs. Abhilasha Bahuguna, founder of the Looms of Ladakh women’s team; Mahesh Khankriyal of Manav Sewa Samiti; and the elected members of the Niti–Mana Cooperative Society—Mr. Kundan Singh Takola, Mrs. Nandi Rana, Kishor Badwal, and Narendra Rana. Here, not only weaving is taking place, but the future is being woven. The Niti–Mana Cooperative Society signifies that women will no longer weave just yarn—they will weave their own future. Where once they were trapped in cheap yarns, now they will become owners of their wool, their hands, and their identity. This marks the beginning of a self-reliant, dignified, and sustainable livelihood from the mountains of Chamoli.

Himalayan Live Bureau

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