It is therefore no surprise to come across the Norbulingka Institute in Dharamshala. Nestled in the mountains, surrounded by tea gardens in its vicinity, it is a self-sustaining institute preserving traditional Tibetan arts and crafts. It was set up by Kelsang Yeshi, Minister of the Department of Religion and Culture, and his wife Kim Yeshi who wished to create a haven for Tibetan arts and culture. Under the guidance of talented masters, they endow artists and craftspeople with ancestral knowledge, providing jobs to a community of over 300 Tibetans. The institute today works towards preserving Tibetan arts and culture, keeping them fresh, contemporary, and relevant. They have nine workshops including thangka painting, statue making, thangka applique, woodcarving, applique, wood painting, tailoring, weaving, and screen printing. You can even pick up products made by them at the store or online - they create product lines for each section which combine the contemporary with traditional Tibetan design.