HANDICRAFTS IN KASHMIR
1. Kashmir has always been the epicenter for handicrafts all over the world. Cities like Ganderbal, Srinagar and Budgam are the main cities for handicrafts and their production houses which are located in Kashmir. Other cities which include Phalgam, Bandipora and Budgam are rich in cultural heritage. The artistry of Jammu and Kashmir include Palkis , trunks , inkstands, boxes which are famous all over the world. Kashmiris have a unique talent of making simple items into traditional masterpiece.
2. Kashmir Papier-mache is a traditional craft that was invented by a muslim saint Mir Syed Ali from Persia approx 14th century. The technique was based on paper pulp and was highly decorated in colorful arts generally in vases , bowls , tray tables and lamps to name a few.
3. Coming on to another very traditional Kashmiri handicraft known as the walnut wood carving. A very rare and popular tree only known to the region of Kashmir known as the Juglans tree that grows widely in Jammu and Kashmir also known as the walnut tree. It is this tree which is used to make table artwork, paintings, wall stands, mirrors. The uniqueness of this handicraft is the wood and how delicately and intricately work has been done on it which has to seen to be believed.
4. Kashmir is also known for the shawls that are made. The culture of shawls came to Kashmir from Turkistan in the 15th century. The Mughal emperor Akbar brought with Persian artisans to work on techniques of shawl making and carpet weaving. The shawl made in Kashmir is known for its unique style which is the Kashmiri weave traditionally made of Shahtoosh or pashmina wool. The majority of fabrics that are woolen and particularly the premium quality shawls are made of Pash which is the wool Capra Hircus which is a unique animal also known as the mountain goat in Kashmir. Hence that is the reason why the shawl is called Pashmina. The great king Akbar was a big admirer of the shawls made in Kashmir specifically the Pashmina, it was him who began the fashion style of wearing them in a unique duplicate manner front and back so that at any given time both surfaces of the shawl were never exposed. The most famous shawls during this period were shawls that were weaved out of gold and silver which was part of the royalty and that time only the kings and queen had the access to. The edges of it were delicately weaved and the background was meticulously stitched in gold. The Do Shala as its name suggested had the shawls in both front and back, it was always sold in pairs.It was unique design specific to Kashmir showing handicrafts of Kashmir were world famous. It was this design which took the world to its surprise and kingdoms from far away would call Kashmiri handicraft specialists to make this kind of shawls. The kani shawl was another artistic type of shawl worn by the Kashmiris originating from Kanhimama , it is this handicraft which is considered to be the oldest in the valley after the Mughals left it.
5. If we are talking about the handicrafts of Kashmir how can we forget the unique carpets and rugs which are worldwide famous.It is said the best carpets have originated from Kashmir all over the world.It is considered that carpet weaving is a gift which is in the hand of Kashmiri handicraft artists, Kashmir has produced several varieties of handmade and hand knotted floor carpets and rugs. A traditional Kashmiri carpet is the Namda Carpet in this method instead of weaving felting of wool is done.In this many layers of wool are mingled together then a rug is created it is this traditional technique which again has been copied all over the world to make fine quality wool knitted rugs. It is believed that Kashmiri artist learned the art of rug making back in the 11th century and Emperor Akbar had asked to weave a rug for his horse back. Another world famous name which you all would have noticed is the Qaleen its also a product of Kashmiri handicrafts, these are hand knotted intricately created designs made by wool or silk.
The emperor Sultan Zain ul Abidin introduced Kal Biffi craft all the way from Persia to Kashmir in the 15th century. The way the sultan was able to achieve this ,massive feat was by bringing traditional artists all the way from Persia to Kashmir and then he trained the local handicraft artists on various designs of Persian styles so that they could develop a unique design of Kashmiri handicraft architecture which would be recognized by the kings of Kashmir. Another famous Kashmiri mat which is made of Reeds is the Kashmiri Wagoo also known as the Wguv. Its traditional technique is by hand knotting. It’s part of Kashmiri handicraft art and culture , Kashmiris are able to relate to their culture through the intricate designs in this mat. The sultan brought his carpet weavers to Kashmir to learn the art of Wagoo making which is a big feat in any culture.
6. Another integral part of Kashmiri handicraft industry is the work of Embroidery which can be seen in almost evry art work, shawls, carpets, rugs and mats. The Kashmiri ladies wear a robe which is called a Pheran which has delicate and intricate embroideries all over it . this includes flower styles made of thin material threads and this kind of embroidery is known as Tilli , this kind of work is done by both men and women. If we move to another very integral part of Kashmiri handicraft it’s the stone crafting which is world famous and probably only done in Kashmir. It is because the handcraft artist in Kashmir had a hand for wood carving, stone polishing , glass blowing and willow work, in 1663 the famous writer and handicraft specialist Francois Bernier appreciated the handicraft work of Kashmir. A few popular examples of stone work are as following Avantipur stone work, Pariphura stone work and Patan stone work.
7. The wooden handicraft of Kashmir is also very famous and is known as wooden Wicker craft also known as basket weaving. Its considered to be one of the oldest in the world and became extremely popular in india . The Kashmiris make them with the help of a popular wood called Kashmiri willow and the most common product which is made is Kangri. So what kangri is generally used for is a transport clay pot filled with hot coal which the villagers keep near their chest to keep them warm during the winters. The general design used in this is circular or spherical shaped baskets the most common baskets generally are used for stationary work items and keep jewelry. It is this profession currently which is keeping the local village economy up, the uniqueness of this specific handicraft is that it is not only used for decoration purpose but also for utility purpose.
8. Basholi painting is a word you must have heard anywhere in the world if you are artist or paint lover. These paintings can be easily recognized by their colorful strong lines, facial patterns and vibrant colors. As the name suggests the painting comes from a village called Basoli in Kashmir. This is the first set of Pahari paintings to make to the world stage after the Kangra paintings. The originator of these paintings is the famous Raja Bhupat Pal. When we talk about the painting in specific there are certain things which are only exclusive these paintings which are characters that are dressed lavishly , differently styled faces , wide eye glazes all of which give the male and female in these paintings a uniqueness. Another uniqueness that why these paintings are expensive is that these paintings are made on ivory sheet or Veale paper which is extremely rare. The brushes used to make these paintings are from squirrel hair and bird feathers. It has been seen the handicraft artists use pure gold and silver in certain elements of the painting for the ornaments being shown in the painting. The reason these paintings are 3 considered to be world famous is because if you take a magnifying lens and see the painting you can see hair strands also in the picture it is that intricately and delicately been made.
9. When we talk about the work of Kashmiri handicrafts in building their economy its been massive. The handicraft industry has been massive in building and shaping the economy to where it stands at the moment. when we talk about the employment opportunities that have been provided by the handicraft industry you would be surprised to know that 35 percent of total revenue of Kashmir has to be credited to the handicraft industry. Kashmir currently exports a majority of its handicrafts to all over the world this helps not only economically , financially but also in creating awareness all over the world that the handicrafts of Kashmir are probably the finest pieces of artwork the world will ever see. The biggest change or probably the biggest achievement that has been for the Kashmiri handicraft industry is that after seeing the world there has been a sudden growth in Kashmiris to this as proper full time profession which is a very big deal for any culture anywhere in the world. After the fruit industry the Kashmiri handicraft industry is the second largest industry in Kashmir.
10. Kashmir is that part of our country which has shown the maximum development when it comes to the handicraft industry. The long tradition and culture of Kashmir can be easily seen in its handicrafts. When the world looks towards Indian designs and Kashmiri handicrafts are the first to come in anyone’s mind and cannot be ignored at all. In today’s world if handicraft expo is done we are bound to find Kashmiri handicrafts listed there. Kashmir is a hidden gem and these artists are making their state and India proud.
