TRADITIONALLY, TRAVELING MONKS use bowl covers to protect their eating bowls (traditionally wooden) while on pilgrimage. Any kind of bowl in one of these protectors can be thrown roughly into a traveling bag, and will not break. The covers are made stiff with reeds woven into yak hair, acrylic, and wool. We have both natural and bright colors. Tibetans prefer the latter, but they take longer to make, as they tend to be complex in design.
Bell covers are used not only for traveling purposes, but for daily bell storage. Monks carry their bell from home to temple, and value their bell holders as heirlooms. Often, but not always, bell covers have a leather outer for extra protection. They are made to last.
Our customers have come up with modern uses including singing bowl storage. Singing bowls are common in Tibetan areas in India and Nepal, and not in Kham, but they fit nicely into Khampa bowl holders. Our bowl and bell covers can come complete with bell or any kind of bowl, per your request; or have a cover custom made to fit your own bowl or bell!
RALEH BELL COVER: (right) hand-processed yak leather outside, inside woven wool
LHAGANG BOWL COVERS: with undyed black yak yarn, white wool yarn, colored cotton yarn, red leather, bamboo sewn in. Covers with designs take nomadic artisans a week to create.
