Traditional wooden churning rod guide from Nepal. In addition to their practical use, such churning rod guides also have an aesthetic quality and are therefore often beautifully decorated. This can be done by carving beautiful shapes into the wood, such as buttons or human figures, or with subtle (geometric) patterns such as stripes or dots cut into the wood.
They are used as a kind of pulley to hold the ropes together in jato, threshing mills that grind grain. The ghurra allows the rope to move without wearing out quickly. They are also used as part of a carrying system for transport over rough terrain, where they provide support.
Today, the ghurras are still made by artisans, to keep the traditional craft alive. There is a lot of pride in that for the Nepalese people.
