DECOR | 19th Aug, 2025
From a tiger rug spotted during a musical performance to a deep dive into craftsmanship in Kathmandu, we trace the story of Shangrila Carpet & Handicraft Industries-where tradition meets design, and every knot carries a legacy.
Some discoveries feel accidental, but linger like they were always meant to be found. We were watching a concert video of sitar maestro Rishabh, all strings and soul, when our eyes drifted-not from the music, but from the stage-to a spectacular tiger rug beneath him. Bold yet quietly dignified, the rug carried a presence of its own. What was it? Where did it come from? And who made it? That rabbit hole led us to Shangrila Carpet & Handicraft Industries-a name that now unrolls a rich story of resilience, design, and fine craftsmanship.
The origin of Shangrila Carpet & Handicraft Industries can be traced back to the 1980s, when the late Thupten Paljor Lama, a Tibetan exile, arrived in Nepal with little more than courage and instinct. Like many who had fled the Chinese occupation of Tibet, he carried no luggage but brought along cultural capital-a native knowledge of trade, deep aesthetic sensibility, and unrelenting entrepreneurial drive. From a café in Kathmandu’s tourist quarter to a trekking gear store and eventually, a carpet company, Thupten built Shangrila from the ground up, investing in people, process, and place. The factory was eventually set up in Jorpati, perched on a hillside near the Boudhanath Stupa, a location now inextricable from the brand’s identity.
The name “Shangrila” evokes utopia-a nod to the mythical Himalayan paradise that’s untouched, serene, and preserved in time. For the Lama family, this name wasn’t just aspirational. It was grounded in the ethos of what they were trying to create: a haven for craftsmanship, a space where work and legacy could coexist without compromise.
The company deals in hand-knotted Tibetan carpets that originate in Nepal but have reached homes, galleries, and institutions across continents. Each rug is handmade using highland Tibetan sheep wool, a fibre known for its sheen and durability. The wool is processed, dyed, spun, and woven within a single facility in Besi-Gaun, Jorpati-keeping quality control tight and transparency high. Swiss dyes from brands like Clarence, Ciba, and Sandoz ensure lasting hues, while the natural lanolin in the wool means the rug gains a mellow sheen with age. It’s a quiet transformation that never feels showy, but always feels earned.
The artisan network is one of Shangrila’s strongest pillars. Many of the weavers have been with the company for decades. While the factory oversees the dyeing and spinning processes, the weaving itself is often done by skilled hands working from their homes. These are not anonymous workers but trained craftspersons, guided by master weavers who pass down knotting techniques as if they were heirlooms. The Tibetan knot itself is distinctive-looped over a metal rod, then cut-giving the rugs their plush pile and deep texture.
It is this attention to technique that allows Shangrila’s rugs to balance artistic ambition with structural integrity. Traditional designs such as tiger motifs, which once adorned the seats of monks and warriors, are given a modern clarity without losing their symbolic grit. The tiger rug that first caught our attention is an emblem of protection, power, and agility-woven not just in colour and line but in the energy it radiates.
Over the years, Shangrila’s creations have made their way into high-profile spaces, including Harrods in London. While the brand has firmly established its presence in international markets across the US, UK, Brazil, Canada, Switzerland, and Moscow, it now turns its gaze towards India. The move isn’t just strategic-it feels like a return. A reconnection with a subcontinent that has always held space for stories told in wool and warp.
In conversation with the team, what stood out was a grounded clarity about their purpose. They’re not looking to scale for the sake of numbers. The focus remains on creating timeless pieces, each grounded in process and elevated by design. When asked about their evolution, the founder’s daughter, Tsering Dolkar-now involved in the business and notably the first Tibetan news anchor on Nepali television-shared that the new generation of Tibetan entrepreneurs is acutely aware of global standards, environmental responsibilities, and the power of storytelling through craft.
Shangrila offers more than just carpets. They offer floor-bound art that doesn’t scream for attention but invites you in. There are the 80-knot and 100-knot rugs that vary in intricacy and time to produce. Designs range from soft geometrics and quiet gradients to animal figures and age-old borders like the “chain of life.” Prices, though variable, reflect not just material cost but the countless hours each piece demands.
From the highlands of Tibet to the valley floors of Nepal and now onto Indian soil, Shangrila Carpet & Handicraft Industries is not in a rush. They move like their looms-steady, deliberate, and full of stories that unravel quietly, one knot at a time.
From Stage to Story
The tiger rug under a sitar turned out to be a portal—to legacy, labour, and one of the most refined carpet studios in Nepal.
Kathmandu to the World
Started in a café, built into a factory near the Boudhanath Stupa, now quietly commanding floors from London to Brazil.
Utopia Woven Daily
The name Shangrila isn’t branding—it’s a belief system. Every rug is a step closer to a handmade haven.
Knots Passed Down Like Family Recipes
The Tibetan knot isn’t a trend. It’s a technical signature. Loop, cut, repeat. Texture that talks back.
Tiger, Not Just a Print
A rug of protection, power, and posture. Once under monks and warriors. Now under sitars and sofas.
Not Fast. Not Casual. Not Changing That.
Shangrila isn’t scaling to impress. They’re growing to preserve. One knot, one rug, one legacy at a time.
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