When Manzoor Ahmad Khan was barely ten years old, he found himself drawn to the rhythmic movement of hands and threads in his neighbour’s home in Kashmir. Watching Abdul Khaliq Mir weave carpets, he felt an instinctive pull towards the craft – one that would quietly shape the next six decades of his life. Under...
Abdul Majeed, an 85-year-old award-winning Kashmiri artisan, is among the last masters of Aari (Staple) work—a delicate form of landscape embroidery once celebrated across the Valley and beyond. He learnt the craft in his youth, at a time when Aari work was rising in popularity in Kashmir, inspired in part by the efforts of a...
Mirza Altaf Hussain Beigh, a 66-year-old Papier Mâché Naqashi artisan from Srinagar, has devoted his life to a craft he began learning at the age of six. With nearly six decades of experience, he stands among the last Kashmiri masters who carry the traditional skill of Naqashi, an intricate art involving the hand-painting of vivid...
One of Kashmir’s renowned embroideries, Chainstitch, continues to survive in the nimble hands of 72-year-old Abdul Qayoom Wani from Srinagar, who has dedicated nearly 55 years to this intricate craft. Having learnt the art from his father, Mohammad Ramzan Wani, he has witnessed both its flourishing years and its slow decline. Known for the enchanting...
60-year-old copper naqash, Manzoor Ahmed Naqashgeer of Teingpora Nawakadal in Srinagar, is one of the last remaining masters of Kashmir’s centuries-old copper naqashi tradition. Copper utensils – once an essential part of every Kashmiri household – are renowned for their exquisite hand-carved designs created by skilled naqashis. But today, this heritage craft is under grave...
Mohammad Rafiq Najar is a 65-year-old master walnut wood carver from Naidboni in Rainawari, Srinagar, who has dedicated over four decades to the intricate traditional craft of Kashmiri walnut wood carving—a heritage art known for its detailed patterns and cultural significance. He inherited the craft from his father, Noor Mohammad Najar, and became known for...
Mohammad Aslam Khan is a 70-year-old veteran Sozni embroidery artisan from Kathidarwaza, Rainawari in Srinagar, with over 55 years of experience practicing this centuries-old craft. He is regarded as one of the senior craftsmen in his community and has trained more than 200 artisans in the intricate needlework of Sozni embroidery, which is traditionally done...
Papier mâché is one of Kashmir’s most cherished and enduring handicrafts, practiced for centuries and admired by locals and visitors alike. Introduced to the Valley around the 14th century by Persian artisans during the reign of Sultan Zain-ul-Abidin (Budshah), the craft flourished under royal patronage and became an integral part of Kashmiri culture. The art...
In the bustling lanes of Srinagar, Saiqa Rashid, an Assistant Engineer at the Power Development Department (PDD), is quietly crafting a world of colour, calligraphy, and meaning. What began as a childhood fascination with mehndi designs and art competitions has evolved into a profound journey of self-expression and spiritual creativity. Though her artistic pursuits paused...
The centuries-old art of Meenakari — the intricate enamelwork on gold, silver, and copper — is taking its last breaths in Kashmir. Once a symbol of the Valley’s refined craftsmanship, the tradition now teeters on the brink of extinction, with only a handful of artisans left to keep it alive. Among them is Nazir Ahmad...
