Tibetans offer a wide variety of Himalayan winter clothing to Noida residents

Every year, Himalayan Buddhist Exhibition-cum-sale has been organised in Noida’s Sector 33 from December 1 to February 12

For the 100-odd second generation Tibetans living in India, winter season for the last decade has meant exhibiting the finest collections of woollen clothes from the Himalayan region to the people of Noida.

The exhibitors have been coming to Noida for the last 12 years to sell the clothes, which they claim to have procured from manufacturers based in different regions such as Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Nepal, Tibet and Ladakh. (Ishwar Chand/HT Photo)

Every year, Himalayan Buddhist Exhibition-cum-sale has been organised in Noida’s Sector 33 from December 1 to February 12. Those displaying the clothing said they also have fine leather clothing as well for men, women and children.

The exhibitors are Tibetans who have settled in India after the infamous exile of the 14th Dalai Lama in 1959, due to the dispute over the territory. Among them are many second-generation Tibetans who have been born and brought up in India.

The exhibitors have been coming to Noida for the last 12 years to sell the clothes, which they claim to have procured from manufacturers based in different regions such as Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Nepal, Tibet and Ladakh.

There are as many as 80 stalls set up in the exhibition, which comprises woollen and leather clothing, shoes, bags and women’s accessories.

The Tibetan exhibitors are fluent in Hindi as they have been settled in India for the last few decades.

“My father moved from Tibet to Dehradun in 1959 as a refugee and we were born and brought up in India. We procure goods from areas in Nepal border for the exhibition in Noida every winter. Rest of the time, we are busy with farming at our native place in Uttarakhand,” said Tenzin (51), an exhibitor of woollen jackets.

“I have come from Ladakh by plane as the road connectivity is shut during the winter. I procure clothing items from small manufacturers who make handmade woollen clothes throughout the year,” Shireen, an exhibitor of woollen clothing, said.

Tolma, another Tibetan from Dehradun, also sells leather jackets at the exhibition.

“We buy our material from Dhaulagiri, Shimla, Nepal and also northeastern states due to our pan-Indian presence. We assemble the clothes in Delhi before the winter and set up our stall at the exhibition,” Tolma said.

Ranjit Singh, the president of Himalayan Buddhist Exhibition-cum-sale, said, “We have Tibetans coming from different states of India, from Himachal Pradesh to Karnataka to north-east, thereby, bringing variety to our exhibition. We offer unique embroidery and patchworks that are way ahead of the market trends.”

The price range of commodities being sold in the exhibition is from Rs50 to Rs3,500, for products ranging from woollen socks to Kashmiri shawls and blankets.

However, the response by Noida residents has been lukewarm, according to the exhibitors, who blame it on several issues.

“This year, winter has not yet arrived in Noida and our clothing is meant to be worn during the severe cold. Also, due to the introduction of the mall culture, our business has taken a hit. We hope that as December progresses, the region becomes colder and we get back our customers,” Tenzin said.