Khoma village of Lhuentse is synonymous to Kishuthara, an intricately patterned silk textile. As the popularity of the handloom fabric soars, many women are taking up weaving Kishuthara as full time profession.
Kinley Wangmo, 16, came to Khoma from another village to master the art of weaving kishuthara.
“I prefer weaving to schooling,” she said.
She left school two years back to pursue her passion and also secure income to fend for her family.
Today, she earns around Nu 1,20,000 a year, enough to sustain her family.
Like Kinley, there are over 20 women in Khoma village fully engaged in weaving Kishuthara.
The basics of the trade are taught to the girls in the village from as early as six years of age. In winter, many school-going girls learn the intricacies of the art from their mothers.
It takes them two to three years to master the skill.
“I see many women leaving farm works and focusing more on weaving Kishuthara because when we cultivate crops, animals damage it,” said Tshering Yangki from Khoma.
Another weaver, Ngedup Zangmo said it is difficult to get a job despite being qualified. “If we weave, at least we can afford clothing.”
There are at least two weavers from each household in Khoma.
They said, depending on intricacies of patterns, it takes them about two to three months to complete a piece of silk textile.
A complete piece fetches them from 45,000 to 80,000.
“Weaving Kishuthara is challenging. We have to start early and weave till late into the evening. It strains our eyes. Our legs and back ache. It is better when we don’t have to weave for long hours,” said Tshering Yangki, also a weaver from Khoma.
The popularity of the textile has also given rise to yarn business in the village. From just one dealer about five years ago, the number has risen to three now.
