Kolors of Kathmandu
The rich heritage of Asia means that no two places are alike. Each country has its own story, and these stories translate into their jewellery as well. Nepal is one such place, where the jewellery is so unlike any other part of the continent due to the cultural diversity within and around the borders of Nepal itself.
Many of the jewellery craftsmen in Nepal are actually from Tibet, fleeing from their homes when the Chinese took over Tibet in the 1950's. The spirit of Tibet still beats in the hearts of these people, and descendents of these craftsmen continue the Tibetan jewellery-making tradition in Nepal today. In addition, since some people from Nagaland and Afghanistan also moved to Nepal, the influence on Nepalese jewellery comes from far and wide and leads to beautiful amalgamations.
Inspired by the beauty of Nepalese jewellery during their frequent travels to Nepal, Zahid Sharif, Nargis Chowdhury and Nusrat Luja decided that they would bring some Nepalese treasures over to Dhaka, as there was yet to be sellers of Nepalese jewellery in Dhaka and the demand for ethnic/tribal jewellery is ever growing. This is how, out of their passion for all things Nepalese, their online store, Kolors of Kathmandu was born in September 2012.
“Nepal is a very harsh country, climate and landscape wise, but despite this the people really know how to celebrate life,” says Nargis Chowdhury. “Our name was inspired from the colourful atmosphere of Nepal. We have started this business because Nepalese jewellery is really unique and beautiful and we wanted to share this with Bangladesh.”
Kolors of Kathmandu's jewellery are made using semi-precious stones like coral, turquoise, lapis, agat, onyx and jade on white metal, silver or brass. Precious stones are used when special orders are requested. There are also lots of jewellery with work on glass, like rings and necklaces/bracelets using glass beads. There are also items made of yak bone and yak horn, extracts from the yak, a cousin of the cow and a frequenter of the Himalayan mountains. All of their jewellery is handmade. Kolors of Kathmandu's items are a mix of jewellery supplied straight from the jewellery makers, as well as some items designed by the owners themselves. You can find all types of jewellery items at Kolors of Kathmandu, from necklaces, rings, bracelets and earrings to armlets. The owners of Kolors are continuously exploring the jewellery to be found all throughout the Himalayan mountain range, recent finds being jewellery sourced from Nagaland and Afghanistan which are also displayed on their Facebook page for sale.
The owners are happy to have an online-based business for now, but keep an eye out for the name “Kolors of Kathmandu” in fashion events and exhibitions that happen around the capital. All their beautiful items of reasonable prices are displayed on their Facebook page, and payment and delivery is done through Bkash and courier respectively. International delivery is also available.
Visit Kolors of Kathmandu's Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ kolorsofkathmandu?ref=hl. You can contact them on +8801670802499.
Photo: Kolors of Kathmandu
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