Watch Mon shugu paper being made

For centuries the Monpa of the Tawang valley made their own paper, called Mon shugu, from the inner bark of a shrub they call shugu sheng, literally the paper plant. The paper was strong, resisted insects and was used for Buddhist scriptures and records in monasteries across the region. By the late twentieth century only a handful of artisans in Mukto village still knew the process, and the craft was close to disappearing.

In 2021 the Khadi and Village Industries Commission set up a Monpa handmade paper unit in Tawang, with specialists from its national handmade paper institute training local people. The process is still largely by hand: the bark is soaked and boiled, beaten with wooden mallets into a fibrous pulp, mixed with water, and spread onto cloth frames that dry in the sun. Each sheet has a slight texture and natural flecks.

Opening hours are informal and depend on the season and staff, so ask your hotel to check before you go. If work is under way, staff usually let visitors watch and photograph. You can buy plain sheets, notebooks and small cards, which make light, meaningful souvenirs. Buying directly supports the families who keep this skill alive.