A Story of Kinnauri Wool
Storyteller : Adit Negi
Himal Prakriti Fellow
Village Kupa, Kamru Panchayat, Kinnaur District,
Himachal Pradesh
Read this story in Hindi
As a child, I watched my family and neighbours gather at our mountain home in Kupa village, carding, spinning and weaving wool with traditional wooden tools. Back then, I didn’t quite understand its significance. Only later did I realize that we, the people of Kinnaur, have long been a shepherding and agrarian community. Our forefathers once bartered wool for essential goods from neighbouring regions to sustain themselves. Over time, wool has become more than just a means of subsistence; it is woven into our cultural identity.
Yet, in this transition we seem to have lost touch with the intricate journey of wool from fleece to fabric—the artisans, the weavers, the tools, and the hands that shape it. Their stories remain largely untold. What are their lives like? What struggles do they face? How relevant is their craft in today’s world? And as times change, what does the future hold for them?
This story delves into the world of wool craft, tracing its journey and attempts to uncover the lives of those who keep this tradition alive in Kinnaur.
Meet the storyteller
Adit Negi
Adit Negi is a post graduate in Film Studies from Ambedkar University. Having lived most of his young life in the cities of the ‘plains’, he is making his way forward in life by going back to his village Kupa (Kamru) in Kinnaur district of Himachal Pradesh, where he has been living now for the past 4 years. In his quest to engage with the rich cultural heritage of this region, he has chosen to be physically present and live and learn in the moment.
अदित नेगी ने अंबेडकर यूनिवर्सिटी से फिल्म स्टडीज में पोस्ट ग्रेजुएशन किया हैं। अपना अधिकांश युवा जीवन 'मैदानी' क्षेत्र के शहरों में बिताने के बाद, वह हिमाचल प्रदेश के किन्नौर जिले में अपने गांव कूपा (कामरू) वापस जा, वहां पिछले 4 वर्ष से रह रहे हैं। इस क्षेत्र की समृद्ध सांस्कृतिक विरासत के साथ रूबरू हो, वह अपने गांव में रहकर सीखने और खोज करने में अपने आगे की दिशा ढूंड रहा है।
Voices of Rural India
Voices of Rural India is a not-for-profit digital initiative that took birth during the pandemic lockdown of 2020 to host curated stories by rural storytellers, in their own voices. With nearly 80 stories from 11 states of India, this platform facilitates storytellers to leverage digital technology and relate their stories through the written word, photo and video stories.
ग्रामीण भारत की आवाज़ें एक नॉट-फ़ॉर-प्रॉफ़िट डिजिटल प्लैटफ़ॉर्म है जो 2020 के महामारी लॉकडाउन के दौरान शुरू हुई थी, जिसका उद्देश्य ग्रामीण कहानीकारों द्वारा उनकी अपनी आवाज़ में कहानियों को प्रस्तुत करना है। भारत के 11 राज्यों की लगभग 80 कहानियों के साथ, यह मंच कहानीकारों को डिजिटल तकनीक का प्रयोग कर और लिखित शब्द, फ़ोटो और वीडियो कहानियों के माध्यम से अपनी कहानियाँ बताने में सक्रीय रूप से सहयोग देता है।
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