Over 67,000 artisans in Budgam, but many traditional crafts on verge of extinction
Srinagar, Aug 10: Budgam, long regarded as one of Kashmir’s most important handicraft hubs, boasts a staggering 67,388 registered artisans working across 24 traditional crafts. The numbers reflect a vibrant economic and cultural base that supports thousands of families. Yet, beneath this thriving façade, many heritage skills are quietly fading, kept alive by only a handful of practitioners.
Sozni embroidery dominates the district’s craft profile, employing 40,894 artisans—more than half of the total—followed by 13,737 in carpet weaving, 4,154 in crewel work, 3,548 in zari, and 2,699 in staple work. These five crafts alone form the economic backbone for thousands of households and are central to Budgam’s reputation in domestic and international markets.
However, the official records, obtained from the office of the Assistant Director, Handicrafts, Budgam under the RTI Act by this Correspondent, reveal an unsettling reality for smaller and rarer crafts. Paper Machie Sakhta Making and Meena Kari now survive with just one artisan each. “Innovative crafts” have only two practitioners, while Khatam Band, an intricate woodwork tradition, is practised by just six artisans. Languishing crafts—those officially identified as on the brink of extinction—are being preserved by a mere 20 artisans in the entire district.
“Earlier, every household had someone skilled in these crafts. Now our children don’t want to learn them because there is no steady income,” said Ghulam Ahmad, a 62-year-old willow wicker artisan from Chadoora, who has been in the trade for over four decades.
Other crafts that once flourished are also shrinking rapidly: willow wicker has 426 artisans, Namdha felt-making 78, copperware 19, stone chiselling 41, leather work 26, and silverware only 3. Many artisans say they are unable to compete with cheap, machine-made imports flooding the market.
“We can make masterpieces, but without buyers willing to pay a fair price, our work will die with us,” said Shakeela Bano, a Namdha craftswoman from Magam, who now supplements her income by working part-time in a tailoring shop.
Experts believe the decline is not simply a matter of changing consumer tastes, but a failure of policy support. There is little evidence of structured initiatives to modernise production methods, integrate endangered crafts into school-level skill programmes, or connect artisans to e-commerce platforms that could open up global markets.
Budgam’s handicrafts are not just economic assets; they are living links to centuries-old cultural traditions. From the fine needlework of Sozni to the intricate knots of Kashmiri carpets, each craft tells a story of heritage, skill, and community identity. Yet, without targeted investment in skill development, fair pricing, design innovation, and market promotion, many of these stories risk ending with the current generation.
The figures underline both the scale and the fragility of Budgam’s artisan economy. While the district remains a powerhouse of Kashmiri artistry, the fading presence of heritage skills serves as a warning: unless urgent revival measures are taken, the next artisan count may read more like an obituary for some of Kashmir’s most treasured crafts.
