Tibetan carpet obsession of a Nepalese Tibetan

2017-02-24 09:01:06 | From:China Tibet Online


Tibetan carpets of traditional style.


Tibetan carpets with fashionable patterns and colors.

"Tibetan carpet is an important part of Tibetan culture, and is also the quintessence of Tibetan people’s wisdom. As a practitioner for more than 30 years, I have always wanted to do something to help protect the inheritance of it”, said Tseten, a Nepalese Tibetan businessman.

Tseten’s parents’ ancestral home is in Tibet’s Ngari region, and later the family moved to Nyalam County, Shigatse City. Before Tseten was born in 1972, they moved to Nepal again. 

Having been influenced by the family business tradition, the 17-year-old Tseten started his Tibetan carpet business after graduating from college. In two years he had earned his first pot of gold –US. $80,000. Afterwards, Tseten’s carpet business gradually grew in size until it topped Tibetan carpet sales in Nepal for a few years.

"Carpets, tapestries, mats and cushions are daily necessities for Tibetan people. There is a Tibetan community in Nepal, and Tibetan carpet business developed in line with their daily needs.”

As growing up, Tseten became homesick. In 2004 he took his business back to his homeland and set up a company. 

"Traditional Tibetan carpet patterns come with strong religious elements. The decorative patterns are also very rich and colorful; in early time, the nobility and religious places often took phoenixes, cranes, tigers, lions as pattern elements on Tibetan carpets, while ordinary people could only use patterns of landscape and the eight auspicious symbols.

With expansion in overseas markets, Tseten does not limit his carpets to traditional styles, but makes improvements according to market needs. “European customers prefer simple styles, while US customers tend to go for Tibetan carpets with a bit of traditional colors.”

With frequent exchanges home and abroad, Tseten gradually understands the importance of protection of inheritance of Tibetan carpet.

"Through my own hard work I hope to build a Tibetan carpet museum in my hometown in Tibet.”

Your Comment

Name

Related News