Handicrafts of Kashmir: A Beauty Par Excellence!

In its quality, elegance and beauty, Kashmiri handicrafts are idiosyncratic. The assortment of Kashmiri artisanship is a beauty par excellence. Modernity and technology, no doubt, influenced and are influencing spheres of life across the globe, but the craftsmanship of Kashmir still pulls off applause from people. It still stands out with its gladdening and pleasing colors in the market of exquisiteness.

Humans keep replacing things to facilitate their ease and comfort and to fulfil their emotional urges, and we understand this continuous replacement of articles and objects as a change. In this process of constant replacement in time, the arts that cannot upgrade themselves in their quality and beauty are supposed to perish. And those who cherish themselves in a way that can meet comfort and sensual pleasure manage their existence. The example of technology and handicrafts is like a strong wind and a tree. Only those trees of handicrafts can cope with their survival in the gale of technology whose essence is to absorb the demands of time and procure quality with elegance.

In the handicrafts of Kashmir is the rainbow variety of arts whose essence is to develop quality and elegance with time. That is why they still firmly stand upright against technological challenges. Among the handicrafts of Kashmir are the Kani-Shawl, Paper Maachie, Khatamband, Carpet-weaving, wood carving, Kandikari copperware, Tillawork etc. All this hard-toiling handiwork is also a reflection of Kashmiri culture and ethos.

Here in this paper, we are discussing some of the handicrafts of Kashmir.
Pashmina Shawl:

It is a shawl made out of wool taken from the Chyangra goats, whom we find in the Himalayan regions. The Chyangra goats are raised high in the isolated Himalayas, over three thousand meters above sea level. The Chyangra goat is also called the Pashmina Goat as its wool is used in making the pashmina shawl, the finest in its quality. The finest part taken from the chyangra goat’s fur is called cashmere. Cashmere is the ultra-soft inner part of the fur and holds a romantic and unique stature in the luxury goods industry.

Chyangra Pashmina or Chyangra Cashmere is so delicate, almost under 17 microns in diameter, that it needs highly skilled artisans to spin the finest quality yarn. A highly skilled spinner can spin only fifty grams a day. Being a natural insulator, Chyangra Pashmina is warm in winter and comfy in summer.
It is pertinent to avoid mechanical touch while handling cashmere, the ultra-soft form of wool. Hence, manual handling is a prerequisite to keeping the sensitivity and beauty of the cashmere pristine.

The Pashmina Shawls’s fiber is ultra-soft cashmere. The Pashmina Shawl is a versatile piece of clothing. Pashmina Shawls have been worn by royalty and the elites for centuries. Pashmina blankets were part of a wealthy women’s dowry in Pakistan, India, and Nepal.
Kashmiri Pashmina Shawl Handicrafts is globally famous. Its making process involves hard labour. Its beauty, elegance, and grace have crowned it a status- symbol. People feel honoured while giving and receiving Pashmina Shawls as gifts.

Khatamband
Khatumband Handicraft of Kashmir enjoys a royal status, like the Pashmina Shawl. Only people from the wealthy class can afford Khatamband in their houses. Khatumband also enjoys reverence in religious circles because while decorating a shrine or a mosque with Khatamband, people show their reverence towards the deities they endear.
Khatamband is the decoration of the ceiling of a room or a building. But this adorning involves a particular wood called fir, a conifer in the Himalayas. Deodar and walnut woods are also used in making Khatamband.

But Fir is the favourite and first-choice because of its lightweight character. Khatamband beautification of the 4th wall is a type of wooden tiling. Artisans, popularly known as Najjars in Kashmir, shape wood in different geometrical designs and fix them on the original ceiling. Cutting wood in such intricate designs is a profoundly meticulous task, and their affixing is equally laborious. The designs are generally geometrically polygonal and can be patterned to form numerous combinations. The art is unique in that only hands are used to affix the beautiful designs carved out of wood pieces. Artisans do not use nails or glue in this hard-toiling craftsmanship but hands only. It is indeed a rigorous work.

Khtamband-Ceiling presents an extremely artistic site before the eyes, and its aesthetic essence absorbs human sight. It compels the human eye to gaze at it repeatedly. In shrines or mosques, it seems as if its presence has added to the divinity of the place.
With the increase in the middle class in the state and the rest of the country, the Khatamband craft industry in Kashmir has a shining future ahead. It can emerge as a vital contributor to the state’s economy. It carries an enormous potential to play a role in employment generation. But what is unfortunate is that a poor number of artisans, around 500, are engaged in the craft.

Given the extensive potential of Khtamband Craft in the growing middle class in the state and country, the Ministry of Micro, Small, & Medium Enterprise (MMSE) should open a Kashmir Khtamband Vocational Centre to augment the potentially rich craft.

Paper Maachee

Paper Maachee is an artistic handicraft with a history in Kashmiri Culture since the 14th century. It is a highly laborious decorative craftsmanship demanding delicate skill and patience. The material which lays the foundation for Paper Maachee Craftsmanship is an amalgam prepared from discarded paper, straw of rice plant, copper sulfate and cloth. The pulp obtained needs to be kept in water for three to four 4 days, then taken out and left for drying. Once dried, the mixture is then converted into fine powder.

Paper Maachee craftsmanship involves a two-stage process: Sakhtsazi and Naqashi. In the first stage of sakhtsazi, the mixture is converted into powder and in the second stage, the powder is mixed with glue and then put into a peculiar mold– made of clay or wood– to get the desired shape. The item is taken off the mold in semi-dry condition to make its outside smooth. Artisans, after smoothing the item, design (Naqashi) the product. The naqashi (or the designing) is a profoundly delicate and intricate task an artisan has to carry out in paper maachee making.

It is the stage where the artisan’s skill comes to the test. Designing or naqashi in Paper Maachee is the artwork that gives the craft exquisite elegance. It takes it to the level of astounding decoration. It includes the design of flowers, animals, deities, plants vibrant colours etc; in adoration of the paper maachee product. In paper maachee, you can make articles such as pen cases, cigarette cases, bowls, dolls, vases, plates, puppets, or sculptures you wish to make.

We can use paper mache artwork to decorate our homes. In Kashmir, we can see its graceful artwork in shrines such as Khanqahi Mulla and Hz Sultan ul Arfeen’s Shrine. This elegant art is mesmerising. We can use this art to decorate our homes, such as ceilings, walls, chairs, beds and other interior articles.
Paper Maachee products are sold locally to tourists across India and even exported to European countries such as France. The French traders were the first to introduce this refined art to the European markets.

But, unfortunately, in the current scenario, paper maachee artwork, unlike in its past, loses the demand. Clouds of worry are hovering over the artisans presently associated with the craft. Artisans generally come from poor backgrounds, and retarding condition of the art is alarming. Preventive measures are the call of the hour.
Given the heritage status and the economic role of paper maachee art in Kashmir, the state must come up with a concrete policy to protect it.

It should be brought out of the tiny rooms and should be institutionalised and given the patronage of the state. The craft of Paper Macachee like pashmina shawl and khatamband, can also contribute to the state’s economy.

The other handicrafts and artwork in Kashmir are Sozani, Panjkari, Hand embroidery, and carpet weaving. All the handicrafts need to be taken to the next level. But it is only possible when the government will start patronizing these crafts and artworks.

The G-20 meeting in Kashmir has given a push to the craft industry of Kashmir. It has awakened hope in the artisans and other stakeholders associated with the handicraft industry of Kashmir. But on the government level, more is yet to be done to boost this industry.