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...
“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...
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...
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...
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...
Padma Shri Awardee Haji Ghulam Rasool Khan, resident of Amda Kadal, Srinagar, is one of the few artisans working towards preservation of Jamawar work. Working from his workshop at home, he has been involved for decades in this unique art of patchwork of Pashmina Shawls. Ghulam Rasool Khan has produced several priceless Jamawar designs for...
Crewel work is a hand-embroidery technique traditionally done in Kashmir, with a hook (aari) and mostly on woolen yarns in single or 2-ply with colours ranging from white to multi-coloured. Crewel Embroidery is usually done on bolts of fabric in varying widths – 56″ wide dusooti cotton manufactured locally in Kashmir being the most common....
Abdul Rashid Bhat, the 60-year-old chain stitch master from Tengpora, Nawa Kadal, Srinagar has long been associated with this form of embroidery. His works range from life-like designs to abstract patterns in black and white and in rich hues. Chain stitch is a sewing and embroidery technique in which a series of looped stitches form...
Mohammad Afzal, 40 of Zadibal, Srinagar is a renowned calligraphy artist. His calligraphy began from the time he began writing on slate as a child. His father would ask him write verses. He learnt the intricacies of calligraphy at an Academy of Art, Culture and Languages, where he continued to work and taught students the...
70-year-old Kashmiri craftsman, Abdul Khaliq Najar, has spent his life making and repairing houseboats in the Valley. He is the seventh generation in his family who were engaged in construction of houseboats. Najar is the only person alive among the ones who were known for their mastery in the making of houseboats, which attract tourists...
