Carpet Diem: Asia’s largest carpet offers hope for Kashmir’s waning industry

Naseer A Ganai

For eight years, Ghulam Nabi (50) toiled for 12 hours from morning till evening every day, weaving Asia’s largest hand-woven carpet at Wayil village in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district. Working along with him were more than 20 other weavers. The carpet is 72 feet long, 40 feet wide, weighs 1,685 kg and has a record three crore-plus knots. Its completion is a significant achievement for the team.

“This is very tough work,” says Nabi, who has been weaving carpets for 30 years. “My fingers hurt and there are scars on my hands.”

The creation of the unique carpet, that is to be exported to the Middle East, features a unique Kashan style with intricate floral motifs, a design named after the Iranian city of Kashan.

“Floral designs are a hallmark of Kashmiri carpets and they represent the beauty,” says Nabi. For the weavers, the largest carpet made by them is a piece of art that embodies the history, culture and skills of Kashmiri artisans. “We were overjoyed. It was the biggest order we ever created. This masterpiece is a real feat for the workers,” Nabi adds.

The centuries-old craftsmanship is slowly witnessing a decline. He says the carpet weavers, over one lakh in number, need consistent government support to keep the industry alive.

“We need more support and insurance schemes. I have been working for three decades but I do not see much benefit or future in it,” Nabi says, adding that he doesn’t want his children to pursue this craft because the earnings are insufficient to feed the family. “I earn just Rs 9,000 per month,” he says, adding that the work hurts knees and eyes and takes a toll on an artisan’s overall health.

“While appreciation and praise for work are undoubtedly gratifying, it’s essential to provide support to ensure that artisans can earn a dignified living,” Nabi says. “The support could be access to fair wages, better working conditions, and financial aid or subsidies. We want to live with respect.”

Hand-woven Kashmiri carpets date back to the 15th century when Sultan Zain-ul-Abidin brought Persian artisans to Kashmir to train local craftsmen. The carpets are known worldwide for their intricate designs, superior craftsmanship and high quality.

Each carpet is hand-knotted using traditional techniques, with the number of knots per square inch (KPSI) being a measure of quality. Higher KPSI means finer details and greater durability.

“This is time-consuming work. For weaving a single carpet, it takes several months to years, depending on its size and complexity,” Nabi says. The process is highly labour-intensive, requiring great skill and patience.

The influence of Persian styles on Kashmiri carpets is as old as the art of weaving, with intricate designs and vibrant colours echoing the traditions of Iranian cities such as Kashan, Isfahan and Tabriz. “The intricate patterns and elaborate motifs show the artistic heritage of Persia with a distinct Kashmiri flair,” says another artisan. When the weavers started work on the largest carpet, they had doubts whether this would ever be completed. Due to the large size, it had to be transported from Baramulla to Srinagar to the lawns of Dargah Hazratbal shrine, where the washing and clipping of the carpet took place.

“The reason for identifying the shrine premises for clipping and washing is because Srinagar has no other safe and big place to deal with such a carpet,” says Zahoor Ahmad Shah, owner of Shah Qadir and Sons, the company that oversaw the making of the carpet. Shah adds that the company got the order for the carpet in 2014. “We had to hire engineers to remake a big loom of the size of the carpet,” he points out, adding that it took cranes to lift and large trawlers to move the carpet.

Shah says the carpet became a reason for around 200 artisans to rejoin work. “I believe an order of this kind gives hope to revive this craft,” he adds.

According to official figures, carpet production in Kashmir has seen significant fluctuations over the years. In 1990, the production stood at Rs 84.55 crore. This figure grew substantially to Rs 821.5 crore in 2017. However, there was a sharp decline, with production dropping to Rs 299 crore by 2020-2021. Despite this downturn, the industry showed signs of recovery, bouncing back to Rs 357 crore in 2022-2023. Director of Handicrafts and Handloom and Industries, Kashmir, Mahmood Ahmad Shah says while weaving is a centuries-old craft, the size of the carpet has always remained a challenge. “This is a significant revival moment,” he adds.

The delicate weaving of the exceptional carpet was overseen by seasoned weavers Fayaz Ahmed Shah and Abdul Gaffar Sheikh. “We had to be patient and consistent,” they say, adding that the communication blockade in 2019 and the lockdown due to the pandemic were challenging times. “There were some major disruptions, but we did not give up.”