Kolhapuri Chappal
Bag Tanning:
Outer skin of the aged cow/buffalo are kept in a tank of sodium chloride (salt) and lime stone for about four days for the skin to become softer and to remove hair from the skin. As the skin becomes softer it is stitched with a cactus leaf (sisal leafs) into a bag form. Mixture of Hirada (Myrobalan fruits) (“Hirda” seeds are used in Indian Ayurveda) pieces, Babul pieces with water are mixed in a wooden bucket called as teep (locally) for about five days. This mixture is filled in bag in the upper portion for about 7-8 days and further the mixture is filled to the lower portion and tied for about 8 days. The skin is turned inside out and process is continued for the upper and the lower portions. The skin is fully immersed in the five feet deep tank of the solution for about 7 days. After which the skins are kept on the bed of Babul and Hirada under direct sunlight to dry completely, which is later, stored in a closed room.
