Kashmiri handicrafts is a traditional art of Kashmiri people and artisans who make, craft, and decorate objects by hand. Ganderbal, and Budgam are the main districts in central Kashmir which have been making handicrafts products since ages. The rest of its districts, including Srinagar, Ganderbal, and Budgam are best known for their cultural heritage which includes the handicraft industry in Jammu and Kashmir, India. Embroidery is an integral part of many Kashmiri handicrafts, shawls, carpets and Kashmiri ladies pheran are adorned with intricate embroideries or flower styles made of thin metal threads and this kind of embroidery is known as 'Tille' in Kashmiri language. Embroidery work is done by both men in women in the region conventionally.
The artistry of Kashmir with Palkis, bedsheets, trunks, inkstands, boxes, and spoons are famous all over India, furthermore, the shawl making is exceptional. Kashmiris make different types of handicraft products with simple items and materials traditionally. Some notable areas are textiles, carpets and rugs, crewel embroidery, phool kari, silverware, woodwork and papier-mâché, etc. [1] [2] [3] [4]
Handicraft is a source of living for many artisans in Kashmir. [5]
Kashmir paper-mâché is, a craft that was brought by Muslim saint Mir Sayyid Ali Hamadani from Persia in the 14th century to Kashmir. It is based primarily on paper pulp, and is richly decorated and colourful. It is generally seen in the form of vases, bowls, or cups (with and without metal rims), boxes, trays, bases of lamps, and many other small objects. [6]
Kashmir walnut wood carving is a craft of fine wood carving. The Juglans regia tree that grows widely in Kashmir region is used for wood carving, and Kashmir is one of a few places for availability of walnut trees. [7] Walnut wood is used to make tables, jewelry boxes, trays, etc.
Kashmir was the center for woolen materials. Various kinds of shawls were a popular product of Kashmir.
Shawls have been a foreign import to Kashmir by Muslim craftsmen from Turkestan as late as the 15th century. Persian masters were brought by the third Mughal emperor Akbar, that improved the local craft and techniques of shawl and carpet weaving. [8]
The Kashmir shawl is a type of shawl distinctive for its Kashmiri weave, and traditionally made of shahtoosh or pashmina wool.
François Bernier, witnessing the shawl industry first hand, emphasizes this point, and admits thatGreat pains, he says, have been taken to manufacture shawls similar to those of Kashmir, in Patna, Agra, and Lahore but notwithstanding every possible care, they never have the texture and softness of the Kashmir article, whose unrivalled excellence may be owing to certain properties in the water of that countryKashmiri Shawls are mainly sold at Polo View Srinagar( The Capital of J&K) by M/s GM Shah. One of the biggest exporter of the Kashmiri Handicrafts"
The majority of the woollen fabrics of Kashmir, and particularly the best quality shawls, were and are still made of Pashm or Pashmina, which is the wool of Capra hircus , a species of the wild Asian mountain goat. Hence the shawls came to be called Pashmina.
The Emperor Akbar was a great admirer of the shawls of Kashmir. It was he who began the fashion of wearing them in duplicate, sewn back to back, so that the under surfaces of the shawls were never seen. During that time the most desired shawls were those worked in gold and silver thread or shawls with border ornamented with fringes of gold, silver and silk thread.
The Do-shala, as the name designates ("two-shawl"), are always sold in pairs, there being many varieties of them. In the Khali-matan the central field is quite plain and without any ornamentation.
Kani shawl is another type of Kashmir shawl originating from the Kanihama area of Kashmir. It is one of the oldest handicraft of Kashmir. This craft has been a part of the valley since the time of Mughals. The shawls are woven from pashmina yarn. [11]
Carpets are said to have originated from the oases and villages of Central Asia. The carpet weaving became a gift of these trading caravans to Kashmir. [12] [13] Kashmir produces several varieties of handmade, handknotted floor coverings items such as carpets and rugs. Another widely used way to produce carpets was and is by the felting of wool.
Namda [14] is a traditional Kashmiri carpet produced by felting wool instead of weaving woollen threads. Wool that comes directly from the fleece of living sheep, is being sorted out, cleaned, dyed and than many layers are mingled together, soaped and felted. Later the rug is decorated with chain stitch Aari embroidery [15] with contrasting dyed threads. [16] [17] Or decoreated with pieces of feIt.
Nomadic farming tribes of the Central Asian steppes and mountains knew the technique of felting already in the late Iron Age and felted carpets are still part of the culture of countries such as Kirgizstan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Mongolia, parts of Pakistan, and Turkey. In India, the namda became popular during the time of the Mughal emperor Akbar (1556–1605). It is said that he was so much impressed by a namda given as a present to shield his horse from the cold, that the emperor granted the namda-maker, Nubi large swathes of land. [18]
The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship is promoting the craft, expecting to benefit the over 2,000 artisans of the 30 namda clusters from Kashmir.
Qaleen (Kaleen, Kalin, قالین) is a type of hand knotted piled carpet. [19] [20] It is a product of Kashmiri handicraft, these are handknotted intricately designed piled carpets made with wool or silk. [21] [22] Sultan Zain-ul-Abidin introduced "Kal baffi" craft (hand knotted carpets) from Persia to Kashmir in 15th century. Sultan brought carpet weavers from Persia and central Asia in to Kashmir to train the local inhabitants. [23]
Wagoo (also waguv [24] or waggu [25] ) is a Kashmiri mat made of reeds. Wagoo was made by hand-knotting. Wagoo is a part of Kashmiri culture and heritage. Wagoo were regularly used in households in the Kashmir Valley. [26] [27]
Sultan Zain-ul-Abidin brought carpet weavers to Kashmir. Kal baff's[ definition needed ] used to weave wagoo[ citation needed ] and eventually it become famous in Kashmir in the 15th century. [26] [25]
Embroidery is an integral part of many Kashmiri handicrafts, shawls, carpets and Kashmiri ladies pheran are adorned with intricate embroideries or flower styles made of thin metal threads and this kind of embroidery is known as 'Tille' in Kashmiri language. Embroidery work is done by both men in women in the region conventionally. [28]
Kashmiri artisans had very swift and neat hands in wood carving, stonework, stone polishing, glass blowing, and willow work. François Bernier appreciated Kashmiri's craft when he wrote in 1663. [29] Stone crafting in Kashmir is very old; exceptional examples of beautiful architect and sculptures were crafted. Few examples are grand structures of the temples at Martand, Avantipur, Pariharpur, Patan, etc. [30]
The handicraft industry remained an important key in the economic development of J&K and the industry has a great handout towards employment opportunities. [27] Handmade products are exported all over India and other parts of the world. Kashmiri handicrafts eliminated financial crises among those people who are affected with the physical disabilities. [31] After handicrafts gained foreign exposure with positive feedback, many youth made this, their profession. Kashmiri Handicrafts is the second largest and preferable industry after fruit in Kashmir Valley. [32] [33]
A carpet is a textile floor covering typically consisting of an upper layer of pile attached to a backing. The pile was traditionally made from wool, but since the 20th century synthetic fibers such as polypropylene, nylon, or polyester have often been used, as these fibers are less expensive than wool. The pile usually consists of twisted tufts that are typically heat-treated to maintain their structure. The term carpet is often used in a similar context to the term rug, but rugs are typically considered to be smaller than a room and not attached to the floor.
Tibetan rug making is an ancient, traditional craft. Tibetan rugs are traditionally made from Tibetan highland sheep's wool, called changpel. Tibetans use rugs for many purposes ranging from flooring to wall hanging to horse saddles, though the most common use is as a seating carpet. A typical sleeping carpet measuring around 3 ft × 5 ft is called a khaden.
A Persian carpet, Persian rug, or Iranian carpet is a heavy textile made for a wide variety of utilitarian and symbolic purposes and produced in Iran, for home use, local sale, and export. Carpet weaving is an essential part of Persian culture and Iranian art. Within the group of Oriental rugs produced by the countries of the "rug belt", the Persian carpet stands out by the variety and elaborateness of its manifold designs.
Pashmina refers to, depending on the source, the cashmere wool of the Changthangi cashmere goat, fine Kashmiri cashmere wool, or any cashmere wool.
A shawl is a simple item of clothing, loosely worn over the shoulders, upper body and arms, and sometimes also over the head. It is usually a rectangular piece of cloth, but can also be square or triangular in shape. Other shapes include oblong shawls. It is associated with the inhabitants of the northern Indian subcontinent—particularly Kashmir and Punjab—and Central Asia, but can be found in many other parts of the world.
Jamawar, or gown piece, is a special type of shawl made in Kashmir. "Jama" means robe and "war/var" is yard. The best quality of Jamawar is built with Pashmina. The brocaded parts are woven in similar threads of silk or polyester. Most of the designs seen today are floral, with the kairy as the predominant motif. Historically handmade items, some shawls took a couple of decades to complete; consequently, original Jamawar shawls are highly valued. Modern, machine-made Jamawar prints, produced in cities such as Kashmir and other parts of Himachal Pradesh cost less to buy but handmade Jamawar are very expensive.
Embroidery in India includes dozens of embroidery styles that vary by region and clothing styles. Designs in Indian embroidery are formed on the basis of the texture and the design of the fabric and the stitch. The dot and the alternate dot, the circle, the square, the triangle, and permutations and combinations of these constitute the design.
Nepalese handicraft history can be traced back to the Stone Age when human beings were inadequate of tools of every things. The history of artistic handicrafts only began during the 5th century AD, when different religions began to form their bases among the people of Nepal. Hence we see a lot of religious influence on Nepalese handicrafts.
The manufacture of textiles is one of the oldest of human technologies. To make textiles, the first requirement is a source of fiber from which a yarn can be made, primarily by spinning. The yarn is processed by knitting or weaving, which turns it into cloth. The machine used for weaving is the loom. For decoration, the process of colouring yarn or the finished material is dyeing. For more information of the various steps, see textile manufacturing.
Iranian handicrafts are handicraft or handmade crafted works originating from Iran.
Termeh is a type of valuable and traditional fabric, often made from Silk, cashmere, or Wool, and featuring intricate traditional patterns. This fabric is produced in Iran and Kashmir and is highly popular due to its delicate and complex designs.
A Kashmir rug is a hand-knotted oriental rug from Kashmir valley in India, which is associated with Kashmiri handicrafts. Kashmir rugs or carpets have intricate designs that are primarily oriental, floral style in a range of colors, sizes and quality.
The Kashmir shawl, the predecessor of the contemporary cashmere shawl, is a type of shawl identified by its distinctive Kashmiri weave and for being made of fine shahtoosh or pashmina wool. Contemporary variants include the pashmina and shahtoosh shawls. In the late 20th century, they evolved to middle-class popularity through generic cashmere products, and raffal, shawls woven in the Kashmiri style, but using thicker Merino wool. Originally designed as a covering for men in India, it has evolved in the popular cultures of India, Europe, and the United States as indicators of nobility and rank, heirlooms giving on a girl's coming-of-age and marriage, and subsequently, as artistic elements in interior design.
Pheran or Phiran is the traditional outfit for both males and females in Kashmir.
A Kani shawl is a type of Kashmir shawl originating from the Kanihama area of the Kashmir valley. It is one of the oldest handicraft of Kashmir. This craft has been a part of the valley since the time of Mughals. The shawls are woven from pashmina yarn. The government of Jammu and Kashmir has granted a geographical indication to the Kani shawl, making it illegal to sell shawls made outside of the Kanihama area as Kani shawls.
Kashmiri papier-mâché is a handicraft of Kashmir that was brought by Muslim saint Mir Sayyid Ali Hamadani from Persia in the 14th century to medieval India. It is based primarily on paper pulp, and is a richly decorated, colourful artifact; generally in the form of vases, bowls, or cups, boxes, trays, bases of lamps, and many other small objects. These are made in homes, and workshops, in Srinagar, and other parts of the Kashmir Valley, and are marketed primarily within India, although there is a significant international market. The product is protected under the Geographic Indication Act 1999 of the Government of India, and was registered by the Controller General of Patents Designs and Trademarks during the period from April 2011 to March 2012 under the title "Kashmir Paper Machie".
Kasidakari is an embroidery art associated with Kashmir, Bihar, Punjab and Himachal.
Qaleen is a type of hand knotted piled carpet. The term is used throughout Turkey, Iran and Central Asia, and making qaleens is currently practised as a handicraft in Turkey and Iran. Artisans may need at least two months to make one qaleen. The craft was learned from Persians by the artisans of Kashmir on the Indian subcontinent. These knotted pile carpets so were a blend of Persian and Indian craftsmanship. Qaleens or Ghalichas were made in the Kashmir region of India and Pakistan.
Rafoogar is an artisan similar to an embroiderer, but the Rafoogar has the skill to repair the damaged or torn clothes. Rafoogar makes the holes, cuts, and manufacturing damages almost invisible. In Kashmir, the term is more associated with shawl making where the weavers were called Sada-baf and the workman for repairing work called Rafoogar.
Talim in textiles is a symbolic code and system of notation that facilitates the creation of intricate patterns in fabrics, such as shawls and carpets, and the written coded plans that include colour schemes and weaving instructions. The term is used in traditional hand-weaving in the Indian subcontinent. Talim was initially used to create certain types of patterns in Kashmiri shawls, and later came to be applied in the
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