Highlights:
IT HAS survived wars and upheavals, but Kashmir’s famed handwoven carpet industry is now battling a steady decline as younger generations abandon the painstaking craft.
Masterpieces woven from mulberry silk or pure sheep wool by artisans have adorned imperial courts, museums and luxury homes around the world for centuries. Hand-spun yarn dyed in natural colors is woven on handlooms, packing in between 300 and several thousand knots per square inch, depending on the intricacy of the design.
A Kashmiri craftswoman weaves a silk carpet at a factory in SrinagarTauseef Mustafa/AFP via Getty Images
Until the 1980s, carpets were Kashmir’s top export, but volumes have since steadily declined, with wars in Ukraine and the Middle East the latest blows to the trade.
“It hurts me to see this,” said weaver Bashir Ahmad, 78.
“If more young people had taken up this craft, they could have made a living from it.”
But long hours, low wages and changing aspirations have made the profession less attractive to younger Kashmiris. A master weaver today earns only around `500 ($5) a day, less than many unskilled laborers.
“There are no government jobs for everyone, and my child, or anyone else’s child, could have taken up this work and tried to make a career out of it,” Ahmad said.
A worker weaves a carpet at a factory on the outskirts of JammuAlok pathania/AFP via Getty Images
“But things are no longer the same.” As they work, artisans chant aloud the design code handwritten on a strip of paper known as talim, shorthand using ancient symbols for numbers and colors, knotting the threads string by string. Depending on its size and design, a carpet can take a group of artisans up to a year to weave. The finished pieces can fetch $20,000 on the international market.
The art of fine carpet weaving was introduced to the Kashmir valley in the 15th century by Persian travelers and received patronage during the reign of its last local king, Zain-ul-Abidin Budshah. The handicraft flourished in Srinagar and later spread to other towns and villages across Kashmir. Despite the decline in work, some weavers are determined to carry on the beloved tradition.
“As long as I have the strength and the days ahead of me, I will continue doing this work,” said Mushtaq Ahmad, 75, who has been weaving carpets for 50 years. Industry estimates suggest the sector employs around 30,000 people, down sharply from hundreds of thousands three decades ago.
A worker checks thread reels at a carpet factory in JammuAlok pathania/AFP via Getty Images
Officials say efforts are underway to modernize the sector and attract new workers. “As part of those efforts, we are providing modern carpet looms free of cost,” said Zubair Ahmad, director of the Indian Institute of Carpet Technology in Srinagar.
The government has also introduced geographical indication tags to help distinguish genuine Kashmiri carpets from cheap imitations.
“The idea is to ensure their authenticity because there was a trust deficit between buyers and sellers,” Ahmad said.
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