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Octogenarian Tshering Dorjee Bhutia has been hand-crafting bows for five decades. A carpenter by profession, Dorjee earned his living by repairing furniture, but his inspiration comes from archery – deeply embedded in the culture of his native Sikkim.  Locals say Karthok village in Sikkim’s Pakyong district had more bowmakers once, but Tshering is now the only one left. He makes his bows with bamboo and they sell during the Buddhist festival of Losoong. You can read more about him in:  <a href="https://ruralindiaonline.org/en/articles/tshering-straight-arrow-bow-maker-of-pakyong/">Tshering: straight-arrow bow maker of Pakyong</a>

Tshering Bhutia and his love of making bows

کمان بنانے والے شیرنگ بھوٹیا کا جنون

వెదురు విల్లుల తయారీని ప్రేమించే శేరింగ్ భూటియా

ஷெரிங் பூடியாவும், வில் மீதான காதலும்

ਸ਼ਿਲਪਕਾਰ ਸ਼ੇਰਿੰਗ ਭੁਟੀਆ ਅਤੇ ਉਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਦਾ ਧਨੁੱਖ-ਪ੍ਰੇਮ

ଶେରିଙ୍ଗ ଭୁତିଆ ଏବଂ ଧନୁ ତିଆରି ପାଇଁ ତାଙ୍କର ଶ୍ରଦ୍ଧା

ഷെറിങ് ഭൂട്ടിയയും വില്ല് നിർമ്മാണവും

ಶೆರಿಂಗ್ ಭುಟಿಯಾ ಮತ್ತು ಅವರ ಬಿಲ್ಲು ತಯಾರಿಸುವ ಪ್ರೀತಿ

सिक्किम के शिल्पकार शेरिंग भूटिया और उनका धनुष-प्रेम

શેરિંગ ભૂટિયા અને તેમનો ધનુષ્ પ્રેમ

शेरिंग भूटिया अऊ धनुष बनाय के ओकर मया

शेरिंग भूटिया आउर उनकर तीर धनुष बनावे के जुनून

ধনুক গড়তে ভালোবাসেন ওস্তাদ কারিগর সেরিং ভুটিয়া

ধনু সাজি ভাল পোৱা চেৰিং ভুটিয়া

Pakyong

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Tshering Bhutia and his love of making bows

In Sikkim’s Karthok village, an 83-year-old traditional bow-maker speaks about his craft in this video

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