In the heart of Srinagar, amidst the narrow lanes of Channapora, resides a master craftsman whose life has been dedicated to preserving one of Kashmir’s most intricate and cherished art forms—chain stitch embroidery. Mehrajudin Beigh, a 68-year-old artisan, has spent nearly five decades perfecting this craft, producing exquisite handmade pieces that have traveled far beyond...
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...
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...
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...
Ghulam Mohammed Beigh, a 70-year-old sozni artisan from Zadibal, Srinagar has been embroidering Pashmina shawls from the last 40 years and continues to do so with his children to keep the glorious craft alive. Beigh grew up in a family of artisans, where his father, grandfather and uncles all were associated with Pashmina embroidery. Every...
80 year old Mir Abdul Majeed, of Kalai Andar area of the old city of Srinagar, is an award winning aari embroidery artist from Kashmir. Aari staple or hook-work is a common form of embroidery, taken to another level by master artisan Mir Abdul Majid with his landscape embroidered pieces. One of his landscape works...
Ghulam Rasool Sofi, aged 65,is probably one of the last few Kashmir’s staple artisans. Born into a lineage of artisans, he has dedicated his life to this handiwork. His craft has reached as far as Spain and America. However, he now feels that the onslaught of mechanised mass- produced goods has eroded the demand for handmade...
