Paper for Writing Sacred Buddhist Scriptures on the Verge of Extinction

THE BUSINESS STANDARD

Representational paper from Jakarta Post

INDIA---The fine-textured and durable Monsug paper, hand-made by the Monpa tribe in Arunachal Pradesh from the bark of a deciduous tree for writing sacred Buddhist scriptures, is on the verge of extinction. At present just 10 Monpa tribals make the traditional acid-free paper, an art handed down for thousands of years, from the bark of daphne cannabina, in remote Mukto area in Tawang district, bordering China. The paper-making tradition is on the verge of extinction since no aid is forthcoming from either the state government or the Centre to promote its production, said Genden Pema, an artisan at Mukto. [link]