BASKETERY
In Kashmir, the art of basketry had existed since the time of immemorial. It existed in all parts of the country and is certainly the country’s most common and most popular craft. It is perhaps one of the oldest crafts in the world. Willow Wicker Craft, locally referred to as Keani Keam, is a hand skilled craft from Kashmir involving weaving using willow reeds. Basket weavers usually prefer to use raw material such as wild plants in jungles or on river banks which require little or no processing. Willow weaving is an indigenous business industry of the valley. While products from other crafts are mostly used for decorative purposes, the peculiarity of this craft lies in the fact that a willow product serves both as a decor and a household utility item to store and carry edible things during special occasions such as Eid or a wedding ceremony.
Willow rushes that grow plentifully in marshes and lakes in Kashmir are used to make charmingly quaint objects, ranging from shopping baskets and lampshades to tables and chairs, all generally inexpensive. To increase their lifespan, unvarnished products should be chiselled and frequently sprayed with water, particularly in hot, dry climates, to prevent them from brittle. Because of the plenty of growth of bamboos, the bamboo craft is deeply rooted in the local folk tradition. The product includes tokras, tokris, oval-shaped containers with lids etc. One of the most distinctive products of this craft is kangri, a wicker basket used to carry clay pots filled with smoldering coal that local people hold under their flowing pherans to keep warm during the freezing winter.
By virtue of geographical advantages, Ganderbal District in Kashmir province provides the best soil and climatic conditions for the cultivation and production of willow wicker crop. The willow plant is cultivated from saplings. Once a sapling sprouts, it is severed and sown into the land to harvest its shoots every year. The sapling continues to produce an annual harvest until it is uprooted. Usually, the saplings are sown during the month of February and March. A normal willow plant grows up 2–3 metres in its height and the crop is harvested in the month of October. Once the crop is harvested, the withy is grouped into bundles according to length and girth. The industrial processing starts from here and the crop is sold to a contractor who in turn assigns it to various artisans with the description of products that artisan has to make out of it.
As soon as an artisan is allotted raw material, the primary work is to soften the withy. This is done by boiling the raw crop of willow. Large water boilers powered by a hearth of combustible wood are used for boiling. The bundles are stacked into a boiler and kept underweight by huge boulders. This process of boiling is an overnight affair.After efficient boiling, the bundles are removed from boilers and are sent down for the next stage. The boiling is followed by peeling off the bark. The removal of the bark is a delicate process and is completed by using a special arrangement of sticks locally known as zealan.The bark serves as an excellent fuel. As soon as the bark is removed, the withy is put under direct sunlight for the purpose of drying. The process lasts for several days so as the withy is completely devoid of moisture. The dried withy is again grouped into bundles according to length and girth which completes the process of raw material processing which is then followed by the basketery.
