THIMPU: Bhutanese traditional arts and crafts are more than just artistic expressions; they embody the country’s identity, values, and spiritual principles. However, despite their authenticity, these crafts face a growing threat from commercialisation, which risks eroding traditional craftsmanship.
The primary concern stems from the mass import of arts and crafts from Nepal and India, worth millions of ngultrum. Cheaper, mass-produced imports pose an existential threat to Bhutanese artisans. While there is no specific data exclusively tracking the import of foreign arts and crafts, many of these items are religious artifacts such as statues, bumpa (vase), karmey kom (butter lamp container), cymbals, duung (Horn), and jaling (clarinet).
