Locally made electric blankets are proving to be the best alternatives for traditional kangri and these blankets are in good demand in Kashmir, say manufacturers. These blankets are capable of heating an entire room within a few minutes while using minimal energy. These blankets not only provide an alternative to traditional kangri but also to...
Once considered a quintessential cultural element, Khanyari (Rainawari)Tiles were used in every traditional house of Kashmir to decorate the floors. In the past, the glazed tiles were made by a large community of artisans from Khanyar, Srinagar. At its peak, people in that Mohalla would make 50000 tiles a day, reduced to barely a 100....
The hammam has its origins in the bath houses of the Roman Empire, from where it travelled to Asia Minor and soon came to be known as the Turkish Bath, where it came to be known as hammam. Though these came to be associated with the Ottoman period, the first is said to have been...
Cockscomb (Celosia), a plant with fluffy edible leaves, is known in Kashmir as Mawal. It has been one of the essential ingredients of the Kashmiri cuisine – Wazwan. It was added in the Wazwan cuisine mostly to enhance its colour. However, with the passing of time, cockscomb was replaced by the synthetic food colours. However,...
Women of Kashmir are breaking the gender norms and defying societal constraints, in the, till now a male dominated craft – copper craft. Women in groups of 20 learn the art in the Balpora village, Budgam. As finding stable employment is a struggle for women, especially in villages, the establishment of the training centre in...
Basket-weaving is one of the world’s oldest crafts, and is also widely practiced in the Valley. Willow wood is most commonly used and the kangri is one of the traditional items crafted from the wicker. The soil and climatic conditions of the Ganderbal District are the best for the cultivation and production of willow wicker...
Papier mache is a 700 year old craft of Kashmir. The process of making papier mache products is a result of two- stage techniques … the first stage involves the sakhta-saz, who makes the object with paper pulp; the second stage is of the naqash, who decorates the object with artwork. The sakhta-saz prepares a...
Gurinder Singh, now 70 years old started working in his father’s (Kulwant Singh) shop at the age of 20. Their shop located in the Akali Market, Amritsar has been making sign boards and stencils. Both handmade, have now lost out to the computer made large flex signs and signboards. Yashpal, who has been working in...
The book shop near the Budshah Tomb, has a signboard outside that reads‘ GHULAM MOHD NOOR MOHD TAJRAAN E KUTUB “. This is perhaps the oldest bookshop of Srinagar. This 133 years old bookshop sells books of literature, religion, philosophy, poetry and various other subjects, in Urdu, Persian and Arabic and was established by Ghulam...
Rajinder Singh has been making Kuja Mishri since almost 40 years in Amritsar and he’s the third generation in this work. Kuja Mishri is a specialty of Amritsar and almost 99% of total produced is made here. In fact an entire bazaar is named after it as Mishri Bazaar, in the vicinity of Darbar Sahib....
