Kashmir's Famed Carpet Industry Faces Decline Amidst Generational Shift

The celebrated handwoven Kashmir carpet industry, a craft that has adorned imperial courts and luxury homes globally for centuries, is grappling with a steep decline. Masterpieces, meticulously woven from mulberry silk or pure sheep wool by skilled artisans, are becoming rarer as younger generations turn away from the painstaking and time-consuming nature of the craft. The industry, once Kashmir's top export until the 1980s, has seen its volumes steadily decrease, facing recent challenges from global conflicts.

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It hurts me to see this. If more young people had taken up this craft, they could have made a living from it.

Artisans like Bashir Ahmad, 78, express deep regret over the waning interest. "It hurts me to see this," he told AFP. "If more young people had taken up this craft, they could have made a living from it." The demanding nature of the work, coupled with low wages, a master weaver earning only about $5 a day, less than many unskilled laborers, makes the profession unattractive. Ahmad lamented, "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. But things are no longer the same."

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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. But things are no longer the same.

Despite the challenges, some weavers remain dedicated to preserving this ancient art. Mushtaq Ahmad, 75, who has dedicated 50 years to weaving, stated, "As long as I have the strength and the days ahead of me, I will continue doing this work." The intricate process involves artisans chanting design codes from handwritten talim strips while knotting threads, with a single carpet potentially taking a group of artisans up to a year to complete. These pieces can fetch substantial prices, up to $20,000, in the international market.

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As long as I have the strength and the days ahead of me, I will continue doing this work.

Industry estimates indicate that the sector now employs around 30,000 people, a sharp drop from hundreds of thousands three decades ago. In response, officials are implementing measures to revitalize the industry. Zubair Ahmad, director of the Indian Institute of Carpet Technology in Srinagar, noted that efforts include providing modern carpet looms free of charge and introducing geographical indication tags. These tags aim to authenticate genuine Kashmiri carpets and rebuild trust between buyers and sellers, offering a glimmer of hope for the future of this traditional handicraft.

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As part of those efforts, we are providing modern carpet looms free of cost.