Nepalese
mountain papers are traditional mountain papers from Central and
eastern Nepal. These are translucent and aesthtically beautiful handmade
papers. These are made from the lokta bark fiber. Lokta is a Himalayan
shrub found at high altitudes in the forests of foothills. The bark is
stripped and the plant is cut just above ground level.
Making of Nepalese Mountain Paper
- Boil the bark fiber in long strips in an alkali solution.
- Soften the fibers and beat with a wooden hammer on a flat stone.
- Mix the resulting pulp with water and pour onto a mould.
- The Nepalese paper mould is made of wood with a cotton cloth
cover.
- Spread the pulp on the floating mould in a vat.
- Lift the mould and allow to dry.
- The sheet of paper dries on the mould and then peel off.
Applications of Nepalese Mountain Paper
- Earlier they were used in montaseries for manuscripts and woodcut
prints.
- Used for printmaking and drawing in ink.
- Used in screens and lampshades.
- For gift wrapping.
- Also used for book binding when combined with any other strong
handmade paper.
