As the sun sets over Srinagar, signaling the end of a long day of fasting during Ramadan, a familiar sight emerges in the bustling lanes of Aali Kadal. A crowd gathers, eager and expectant, around the humble cart of 73-year-old Nazir Ahmad Sheikh, a man renowned for his special Phirni—a creamy, fragrant dessert that has...
Khazir Mohammad Dar, 65, is a craftsman from Narbal, Budgam District. He has been working tirelessly to keep alive the craft of making Kashmiri musical instruments such as the Rabab, Santoor, Sarang and the the Saitaar. Usually played by folk artists, the Kashmiri Sitar has a long body and 7 strings, and it is smaller...
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...
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...
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...
Span Foundation, over the past few months has been documenting arts and crafts of Kashmir and Punjab. The crafts include the everyday skills which in several cases are now not considered as an art or craft. We hope to publish a coffee table book after completing the photographic documentation.
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....
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...
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...
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...
