The following provides information on:

1. The TCV Handicraft Centres.

2. Products and how to place orders for them.

Background

The brutal occupation of Tibet by the Chinese in 1959 culminated in one of the most wanton acts of cultural destruction the world ever witnessed in the 20th Century. As a direct result of the Chinese invasion of Tibet, over 1.2 million Tibetans lost their lives. Six thousand ancient monasteries-the repository of priceless arts and artifacts were looted and razed to the ground. The systematic destruction of Tibet continues even today unless the international community help to save it.

Tibetan Children's Villages Tibetan Children's Village (TCV) is an integrated community in exile for the care and education of orphans, destitutes and recently escaped children from Tibet. It is a registered, non profit charitable institution with its main organization based at Dharamsala-North India. TCV has many branches spread across India with over 11,000 children under its care.

TCV Handicraft-Cum-Vocational Training Centres Preservation and promotion of Tibetan arts and crafts is one vital component of TCV's cultural education programme. To give concrete education in arts and craft and to help seek gainful employment opportunities for young artists and craftsmen in exile, the need for "Handicraft Training Centre" became a must.

Thus TCV Handicraft Centres were established, first in Dharamsala in 1974 and later at Ladakh in 1983.

Today, the Handicraft Centres are administratively autonomous bodies within the overall TCV organization, directly accountable to the central coordinating office. The Centres have currently a total strength of 131 trainees and apprentices and 66 staff and employees.

With increasing number of similar centres coming up in the community especially for the training purposes, our Handicraft Centres are slowly concentrating more on commercial activities and opportunities. We have bifurcated our work into "Training" and "Business" Sections in order to facilitate better management with latter concerning more on production and commercial operations and former on Training alone.

Achievements TCV Handicraft Centres are proud of their achievements, be it in the field of providing education to the children or in the preservation and promotion of Tibetan cultural heritage. Our Centres have become not only financially self sufficient but are also able to contribute their share of income to the mother organization. The Centres take pride in the fact that over the years it has produced hundreds of artists and craftsmen who are serving the society today.

Many of the Centres' top graduates are currently serving as master craftsmen in various Handicraft Centres in India and Nepal. Our Handicraft Centres also give training and provide job placements for new arrivals from Tibet who are too old to go to school or get instant job.

The Centre at Dharamsala alone has trained 526 students in various trades to date. With intensive training and high demand on quality works from its trainees, the TCV Handicraft Centres have fulfilled their objective of preserving Tibetan cultural heritage in the best possible way. Besides, the works of the Centres are frequently displayed at various international museums and exhibitions.

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We have a large selection of traditional Tibetan handicraft items-meticulous handmade and other items used in Tibetan religious rituals and daily chores. As a manufacturer and exporter, we offer only the quality works that have conformed to our standards and specifications. This is in keeping with the strict tradition of blending artistry and functionality in a harmonious manner.

There are as many as 74,400 knots in a square metre or 48 knots in a square inch with pile of 10 mm of pure wool and it takes 120 hours to weave one square metre.

We give useful information and guidance to our clients so that they get the best deal for their money. All our patrons are welcome to visit our showrooms (Dharamsala & Ladakh) and get help on trade and any other information.

We manufacture:

1. Hand spun/Hand knotted woollen Tibetan carpets.
2. Machine spun/Hand knotted woollen Tibetan carpets.
3. Traditional Tibetan clothing and accessories.
4. Utiliy and Decorative items.
5. Riual and religious items.

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How to place order

We maintain a good stock of Tibetan Hand knotted carpets of popular designs and various sizes as shown in the Carpets section of this store..

If you are interested in purchasing any items that you see in this store, the process of ordering is initiated by compiling a list of the products you are interested in and this list is emailed to the TCV sales office. (See the Help pages for further information)

You will then be contacted via email by TCV. Through this correspondance your order can be further tailored to your satisfaction and details of payment can be finalised.

The goods personally selected from available stock can be shipped within a week. If in case, particular goods are to be made as per customer's specification it will take about one to three months time depending upon the nature and volume of the goods.

Air Freight (Cargo)

There is no weight limit. The freight will reduce as the weight increases. There is substantial reduction in rate above 500 kgs. The freight can be prepaid or paid at the destination. <

Sea Freight (Cargo)

There is no weight limit. The freight will be charged according to weight or volume of the package. There is not much freight advantage for small shipments by sea, but for large shipments which are above 1000 kgs., the freight advantage is substantial.

Air Mail

The maximum weight limit is 20 kgs. per package. Air mail charges must be prepaid.

Sea Mail

The maximum weight limit is 20 kgs by sea mail. For New Zealand, Hongkong, and Malaysia the maximum weight limit is 10 kgs only. Sea mail charges must be prepaid.

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• The payment can be transferred either by Telegraph/Telex or by other means directly to our Bank (State Bank of India, Dharamsala) Account No. CA5117
• The payment can be made by Bank draft/Bankers cheque or by other systems of payment you prefer, drawn in favour of TCV Handicraft Centre, Dharamsala and send this instrument directly to us by a registered post.

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Our carpets are extremely durable and if you follow the few simple tips listed below it will help to preserve the beauty of the carpet as it lasts through your lifetime.

• Never fold carpet while moving. Roll them up.
• Dust is carpets main enemy, you may safely vacuum clean it. Don't worry about the temporary shedding of wool. It is the hall mark of pure woollen products.
• It is also perfectly safe to dry clean or wash your carpets in lukewarm water with ordinary soap.
• Avoid harsh detergents and rotary brush while washing the carpets.

ALL PROCEEDS FROM THE SALE OF OUR PRODUCTS GO TOWARDS THE EDUCATIONAL FUND OF TIBETAN REFUGEE CHILDREN.
THANK YOU FOR HELPING US HELP CHILDREN

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Village Boutique
Temple Road
McLeod Gunj
Dharamsala
H.P.

TCV Emporium
2nd Floor
Main Market
P.O. Leh
Ladakh
J & K

TCV Shop
Temple Road
McLeod Gunj
Dharamsala
H.P.

TCV Handicraft Centre
Near Petrol Pump
P.O. Leh
Ladakh
J & K
India
Tel: 01982/52466

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