Paper Mache
Paper Mache, also known as , Papier – Macheis , which is a French word for “chewed paper” and a term habituated to describe lots of objects made in marginally different ways, but all availing use of mashed up paper and some sort of paste. Papier Mache is a composite material comprising of paper pieces of pulp, sometimes fortified with textiles, bound with an adhesive, starch or wallpaper paste. The state of Jammu and Kashmir, though affluent in water and forest resources, has very few metallic mineral resources. The non availability of iron-ore, copper, good quality coal, petroleum and natural gas are the major restraints in the enlargement of basic industrial and manufacturing centres. Nevertheless, the Kashmiris have an age-old tradition in the manufacturing of carpets, silk textiles, shawls, raffle, woodworks and handicrafts. The Kashmiris have won a great reputation as artisans and were recognized in the old days in their skill in art manufacturing.
The tradition of Papier-Mache has had a long cultural lineage, and its history is linked with the formation of ethnic and religious identities in Kashmir. Papier-mache is called “Kari Munaqqash” or painted work. In Kashmir, Papier-Mache has been used to manufacture small painted boxes, bowls lined with metals, trays, etageres and cases. It remains highly marketed in India and is a part of the luxury ornamental handicraft market. It was first adopted in Kashmir in the 15th century by King Zain-ul-Abidin. Mir Sayyed Ali Hamdani, a Sufi mystic came to Kashmir during the late 14th century along with his followers, many of whom were craftsmen. These are made in homes, and workshops, in Srinagar, and other parts of Kashmir Valley and are marketed primarily within India, although there is a significant international market. The product is protected under the Geographic Indication Act 1999 of Government of India, and was registered by the Controller General of Patent Designs and Trademarks during the period from April 2011 to March 2012 under the title “Kashmir Papier Mache”. The skilled artisans involved in the process are called “Sakhta” makers. The paper, after immersing in water for 4-5 weeks, is taken out and dried. The powdered paper is mixed with rice water to facilitate coagulation. The lacquer-workers apply their beautiful designs to smooth wood. These designs are very convoluted, and their drawing is all freehand. The Qalamdan (pen-boxes), tables, cabinet, trays, boxes are the main articles of Papier-Mache. The industry is largely cramped to the city of Srinagar and its adjacent areas. The visual symbols of Papier-Mache designs become important in understanding how the craftspeople arbitrate through the overarching structural and social constraints and engage with the craft to produce their own paradigms of meaning. The Naqqash (craftsman) does not express ‘the diluted average but the concentrated inspiration’ and works under the pressure of his own creative urge.
Thus, the Papier-Mache became the medium through which they inscribed the collective memory of a culture and their understanding of how the past came to determine their present.
