The traditional crewel work on Gaba, one of the oldest and most cherished handicrafts of the Kashmir Valley, is facing the threat of extinction due to declining demand. Syed Noorullah, a crewel artisan with 30 years of experience, has been adorning the Gaba with exquisite crewel embroidery work. However, many artisans, like him, are struggling to earn a livelihood from this craft. Gaba was once a vital source of warmth during the harsh winters, accessible to both the wealthy and the poor due to its affordability. There has been a decline in demand for Gaba due to the dominance of...
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Photo Essay: Kashmiri handmade Zari work
After less than a decade in Zari work, 26-year-old, Afroza Jan, from Kashmir’s Ganderbal district claims to be the only female Zari work artist from her village. She primarily works with metallic threads like copper and some alloys. Jan, who learnt the Zari work in 2015 from one of her relatives, was recently conferred with an award by LG J&K for her craftwork. Afroza now wants to open a her own unit where she can teach the art to the girls of her village to make them independent. Zari is an even thread traditionally made of fine gold or silver used...
Photo Essay: 115-year-old Kashmiri cobbler,Ghulam Mohammad Sheikh
Despite his age, 115-year-old Kashmiri cobbler, Ghulam Mohammad Sheikh aka Gul Sheikh son of Ahmad Sheikh from Kashmir’s Bandipora district, continues to mend shoes, which he has been doing since almost a century and is a faith healer of sorts. Sheikh claims to have also worked as a labourer in gardens belonging to Maharaja Hari Singh, and recalls his old days, when he repaired shoes of English men (Angrez) as well. Not having worked in the farming sector unlike other Kashmiris, the old cobbler said that the upbringing of his six children (four boys and two girls) was done through...
Photo Essay: The traditional craft of Pinjirakari
Fida Hussain Baba from Srinagar’s Nawa Kadal area is striving hard to preserve the traditional handmade Pinjirakari work. In Pinjirakari, different designs are made by interlacing the wooden members (mostly deodar and walnut) and joining them with each other with minimum use of glue, same as in khatamband. Baba, who has spent around five decades in Pinjirakari work, laments its slow death due to the machine-made products. According to him only 5-6 masters remain who too are aged now. 95% of workshops have shut down with handcrafted pieces mostly bought by foreigners. ...
Photo Essay: Kashmir’s Silver Naqashi
Naqashi on Kashmir’s silverware dates back to the Mughal period. Mushtaq Ahmad Sodagar, 42, of Guzarbal in Ganderbal, has been a silver designer (naqash) for over two decades. However, due to dwindling demand he only designs on request and has moved over to copper designing which is more popular and gets him a steady income. According to Sodagar, the machine made Japanese silverware is more affordable and hence more popular as compared to the handmade silver designs of Kashmir. Due to lack of government support, most other silver designers have shifted to other trades which fetch them more income. ...
Photo Essay: Husband-Wife Duo Kani Weavers
A husband-and-wife duo from north Kashmir’s Baramulla district have dedicated their lives to preserving the centuries-old art of Kani Shawl weaving. Based in Agri Kalan, Baramulla, Bashir Ahmad Ganie and Jabeen Banoo have been involved in the intricate craft of Kani weaving since decades, and are now training others in the community. Together, they are revitalising this ancient art form, which faces challenges from modern machine-made products. Jabeen, 45, said she learned the art from her maternal uncle and later taught her husband, Bashir, after their marriage. She has since trained many people, especially women, enabling them to earn a...
Photo Essay: Painter Abdul Rashid Rather
Abdul Rashid Rather, a well known acrylic painting artist from Srinagar’s Bohri Kadal, has been associated with the art since the last 35 years despite the current demand for the art being very low. Rather said that the Acrylic painting was once a popular medium due to its vibrant colours and versatility, however, it is a diminishing art now due to popularity of digital art. He is known for his landscape paintings and painting of the Lal Chowk Flyover. His clients are mostly from outside the Valley. The majority being foreign tourists. Sadly, as is the case with most artisans,...
Photo Essay: Kashmiri Kalamkari
Muzzafar Hussain Sheikh, a 45-year-old Kashmiri craftsman, is among the few artisans in the Valley known for Kalamkari. In Paper-Mache Kalamkari, artisans meticulously draw floral designs on wooden surfaces using different colours and brushes, giving it a look similar to that of paper-mache design, which is formed on mashed soaked papers. Kalam implies ‘pen’ (or brush) and Kari means ‘art’, a name given by the Mughals when they discovered the art during their reign over the Deccan region. Only natural dyes are used in Kalamkari. Muzzafar Hussain and his co-artists produce paper mache designs on various artefacts made of wood....
Photo Essay: The Last Two Silversmiths of Kashmir
“The Silverwork of Kashmir is extremely beautiful and some of the indigenous patterns, the Chinar and Lotus lea are of exquisite designs.” – Robert Lawrence Roaffe Kaem or silver artistry of Kashmir is a dying art as just a handful of elderly craftsmen are left in the Valley who fear the art will die with them, as the present generation is not interested in the craft and also there is no government support. Ghulam Nabi Zargar (65) from Khwaja Bazar, Srinagar and Farooq Ahmad Kashoo (63) from Malaratta Chowk, Bohri Kadal, have been involved in this craft since generations...
Photo Essay: Eco-friendly handicrafts of Kashmir
Tariq Ahmad Zargar, 55, from Karanagar is the CEO of kashmers.com. He returned to Kashmir after working for a digital marketing company for 30 years in Dubai. As a marketing Guru, Tariq Zargar understands the evolving consumer preferences. He saw an opportunity in Kashmir to showcase Kashmiri handicrafts in a new manner that will resonate with today’s youth. He has been revamping old Kashmiri heritage items by using modern technology and elements. He uses 3D technology, lasers and other modern tools, helping him to produce innovation-tinged products, which are being sold online on the website Kashmers.com, which has some exquisite...
Photo Essay: Dudran, Uri’s Milk Village
Located in Uri area of North Kashmir’s Boniyar Tehsil, Baramulla district, the picturesque village of Dudran is a testament to the preservation of ancient Kashmiri traditions. Dudran, as the name suggests, is a “milk village” rooted in the age-old traditions of cattle rearing and dairy dating back centuries. Each of the 70-odd households, like that of Ghulam Qadir Sheikh, in this hamlet has been engaged in dairy farming for generations. The main concept of this pastoral legacy is the doud khot, the Kashmiri term for small vault-like structures built with stones and planks of wood along the path of natural...
Photo Essay: Kashmir’s Unsung Wood Carver
In the heart of Srinagar’s old city, 70-year-old master woodcarver Ghulam Nabi Zargar meticulously crafts intricate designs capturing the essence of Kashmir, from the serene landscapes to the rich tapestry of mythological tales. He has been painstakingly carving three-dimensional artworks, since last five decades in his workshop located in Kalashpora, Khanyar area of Srinagar. His masterpieces include a meticulously carved wooden table that intricately portrays the Dal Lake and the history of the Amarnath cave shrine. “My interest in woodcarving blossomed when my father noticed my talent for sketching. Back then, few Kashmiris pursued this art form; it was a...