Detail Photos

This is a very special neti. Great pieces like this one are found only very rarely these days.  It has a primitive anthropomorphic form that is very desirable from a collector's perspective.  It exhibits a great deal of wear as would be expected, and there is some loss to the hands, but in general the years have served to beautifully mature the piece... to soften the edges in a very organic way, and the patina has evolved the deep ruddy color that distinguishes so much of early Himalayan middle hills art.

Throughout the middle hills area of Nepal, we find this ubiquitous tool - the butter churn handle, known in Nepali as a "ghurra". They are also often referred to in the vernacular as "neti".  Ghurra act as sort of axis for the churning rod. One end of the ghurra is tied to rope or cord, and the rope is in turn tied to a post, or some other fixed object. The churn's stick passes through the hole in the ghurra, with the churning end inserted into the butter jar. There is another churning rope tied around the churn stick in such a way that the two ends of the rope are held (one each) in the butter maker's two hands. Alternately pulling one end of the rope and then the other towards oneself causes the churning stick to twist back and forth, churning the liquid into butter.

The ghurra is a common item, and was traditionally found in nearly every household in all regions of Nepal. What could be a simple wooden ring, as mechanically speaking that would be all that is required for such an implement, has evolved into a great domestic art form. The ghurra or neti has become one of the distinctive mediums for expression by village artisans. The variety of ghurra are truly astounding and the vary from very simple, to highly elaborate requiring high levels of carving skill.


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