San Francisco Frontiers - Once a top export, prized Kashmir carpet fades

Masterpieces woven from mulberry silk or pure sheep wool by artisans have adorned imperial courts, museums and luxury homes across the world over the centuries.

The hand-spun yarn dyed in natural colours is woven on handlooms, packing in between 300 and several thousand knots per square inch, depending on the intricacy of the design.

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," weaver Bashir Ahmad, 78, told AFP.

"If more young people had taken up this craft, they could have made a living from it."

But the long hours, low wages and changing aspirations have made the profession less attractive to younger Kashmiris.

A master weaver today earns only around 500 rupees ($5) a day, less than many unskilled labourers.

"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," said Ahmad.

"But things are no longer the same."

- Modern looms -

As they craft, artisans chant aloud the design code handwritten on a strip of paper known as talim -- shorthand of ancient symbols for numbers and colours -- knotting the threads string by string.

Depending upon the size and design of the carpet, a piece can take a group of artisans up to a year to weave. They can fetch $20,000 in the international market.

The art of fine carpet weaving was introduced in the Himalayan valley of Kashmir in the 15th century by Persian travellers, 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 Indian-administered Kashmir.

Despite the decline in volume of work, some weavers are determined to carry on with 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.

Officials say efforts are underway to modernise 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 that 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," director Ahmad said.

W.Thompson--SFF