Farhan Kitab;
kashmir is celebrated through out the world for her shawls which are said to have won admiration even those days when lord krishna went to the court of kurwas as a messenger from pandavas, kashmir shawls are known to have formed a part of sita’s trousseau. in the west they were prized very highly and were the most cherished treasures of the beauties of ceasars’s court. The industry is very old one . In the 14th century when the industry was almost died, attempts were made to revive it. During the Moghul period it received great impetus and shawl formed conspicuous part of the presents sent by the Moghul and the afgan kings to foreign courts. The wools from which shawls are manufactured is of two kinds —– wool of the domestic goats and that of the wild goat. It is also from the shawl goat which is found in the high altitude’s of eastern Ladakh. Before the aniline , dyes were available , the shawal thread were diyed in various soft hues solely with vegetables dyes , locally prepared, whichwhich did fade or blur even when exposed to sun and rain. thre are two kinds of shawls, kani or the loomwoven kind, the amli in which plain pashmina is embroidered with needles having eyes with a particular kind of wollen thead”Embroidery : five kinds of embroidery works are done in kashmir : ‘Amli” (done in pashsminathread in the same style as that of the amli shawls0; ‘Chikan work (done in minute satin stitch in silk or cotten thread);:’Chabi’ (chikan work generally found on ring shawls); ‘ Doori'(knot- stitch work, cheaer kind of embroidery); and “Irma” (Chain – stitch work done on puttoos, Namdas etc. Carpet : Side by side with the shawl industry , the carpet industry has an ancient pedigree. This industry was first started region in the reign of zainulabdin as far backas 1423 A.D. it is said to have languished due to foreign competitaion. Like shawls the carpets is manufactured on the loom . The design of the carpet is drawn and painted by an artist on a paper which the scribe translates into a symbolic script. The workman sites at the looms weaving out in the poarticular colour to the specified warp thread. Each thread , after it has been knoted, is cut by the weavers with a sharp curved knife and pressed into place with an iron comp. the design are generally copies of old Persian carpets, but the older kashmiri carpets were worked in floral and scenic design depicting the natural beauties of the country. Wood Carving : Wood carving is perhaps the premier cottage industry of the country at the present time. There is a great demand for it, as the productions are not only beautiful but also useful and durable, particularly when the carving is done on walnut wood, which is the most famous and artistic. All article of furniture such as table, chairs, screens, boxes , teapots, trays, dishes are turned out in various design . kashmir wood carving has been very highly spoken of in all the exhibitions in india , and the cared gate-way at the kashmir camp erected on the occasion of thr Coronation ‘Darbar’ 1921 was the wonder of the day. Gabba manufacture : ‘Gabba’ industry is penicular to kashmir, anantnag is the home of this industry. Used blankets of ‘Puttoo’ was washed , dyed into various hues, cut into small pieces and then stitched into one whole piece given legth and breadth. Gabbas with ‘Irma’ work are also made. . These are used for houses furnishing generally. Papier machie : Papier machie was introduced in kashmir from Persia, towards the latter half of the eighteenth centuary by a Persian who emigrated to kashmir and taught the art to the people here. Paiper machie article are made out of paper pulp applied in super imposed layer and closely stamped together in a wooden mould of the shape designed. The designs produced varied, the chief among them beign shawl, floral, dragon, jungle scenes, chinar and the old Persian vase. The Industry is one of the best specimens of kashmir art.