Market forces could have to transform Kashmir’s woodworks sector in order that the principle producer, the artisan is just not pushed to a drawback, writes Peer Faizan Bashir after investigating the craft eco-system for his educational necessities
“The destruction of the previous five-story wood palace of Srinagar throughout Harsha’s reign marked a turning level within the historical past of woodcraft in Kashmir. From 1028 CE onwards, the area witnessed a flourishing of woodcraft, fuelled by the considerable sources close to the river Vitasta,” historian PNK Bamzai information in his historical past of Walnut Wooden Carving. “This resurgence gained momentum beneath the Sultans, presumably pushed by the necessity for bigger constructions for Muslim worship. The adoption of the Saracen model, primarily for mosques and tombs, suggests a major international affect launched by Islam to Kashmir’s architectural traditions.”
Wooden carving in Kashmir thrived beneath Zainulaidin, aka Budshah’s patronage, drawing grasp artisans from Samarqand, Bukhara, and Persia throughout the Muslim interval. He offered facilities to international craftsmen, popularising their artwork amongst Kashmiris. The artwork obtained a major enhance beneath the Sultans, with mosques primarily constructed of wooden.
The shrines of Khanqah-i-Mualla and Sheikh Hamza Mukhdum Kashmiri exemplify the craftsmanship. A speciality referred to as Khatamband entails intricate designs utilizing skinny slices of pine wooden, famous by Sir Walter Lawrence for producing “stunning ceilings of excellent design, low-cost and efficient.” Fashionable examples of Kashmiri woodwork, together with ceilings, could be seen within the Naqshband Sahib shrine. (see Historic Introduction of Wooden Carving Trade in Kashmir by Azad Rashid Sheikh.)
Budshah commissioned the development of a powerful wood palace in Nau-Shahr, boasting twelve storeys with fifty rooms, halls, and corridors. This palace, adorned with a golden dome and spacious halls lined with glass, exemplifies the grandeur and architectural excellence of Kashmiri craftsmanship beneath the Sultan’s patronage. (Handicrafts and Kashmiri Artisans throughout the Mughal Interval by Sameer Sofi.)
Wooden Works
Many mosques and Kashmir shrines have been both made fully of wooden or finely embellished with wood components. Picket structure featured prominently within the building of roofs, balconies, verandas, arcades, porticoes, panelled partitions, and painted ceilings, showcasing the flexibility and aesthetic attraction of wooden as a structural and ornamental materials.
The fragile workmanship and a focus to element, together with the imitation of wooden veins, contribute to the sweetness and perfection of Kashmiri woodwork. The celebrity and status acquired by Kashmiri artisans in wooden carving, panel making, and different crafts are attributed to the adoption of Central Asian patterns and strategies.
Artisans launched revolutionary strategies, together with latticework (Pinjarakari) and geometric patterns (Khatamband), which added attraction and magnificence to architectural constructions. Regardless of the passage of time, Pinjara and Khatamband have survived, demonstrating the enduring legacy of workmanship handed down via generations. Artisans proceed to innovate and adapt these strategies, incorporating floral motifs and portray to reinforce the fantastic thing about wood panels and ceilings.
Throughout Mughal Occupation
The wooden carving business throughout the Mughal occupation, as famous by Bernier, was flourishing. In his Kashmir and Political Historical past of Kashmir, Bernier remarks, “The workmanship and fantastic thing about their bedsteads, trunks, inkstands, containers, spoons, and varied different issues are fairly exceptional, and articles of their manufacture are in use in each a part of the Indies. They completely perceive the artwork of varnishing, and are eminently skilful in carefully imitating the attractive veins of a sure wooden, by inlaying with gold threads so delicately wrought that nothing appears extra elegant or excellent.”
The woodcraft business was not solely valued for its aesthetic attraction but additionally for its financial contributions. Commerce and transportation closely relied on boats, with 1000’s of them in use for each industrial and basic functions. The Mughal rulers recognised the significance of this business for facilitating commerce and transportation networks, contributing to the general prosperity of the area.
Mughal emperors thought of Kashmiri handicrafts, together with wood articles, as prestigious gadgets appropriate for change as honorary items. This recognition elevated the standing of Kashmiri woodcrafts and ensured their continued manufacturing and patronage by the royal courtroom.
For the reason that constructing business throughout the medieval occasions modified over from stone to timber, the carpenter was in nice demand and appears to have commanded a market within the bordering hill states as properly.
In Dogra Misrule
In the course of the Dogra rule in Kashmir, the wood-carving business skilled important development, with roughly 50 wood-work factories recorded within the 1921 Census. These factories specialised in carving, Pinjara (latticework), and panelling, usually incorporating designs impressed by German, Egyptian, and Swiss kinds, in addition to sculptures of animals like elephants, canine, and horses.
Regardless of being a predominantly Muslim neighborhood, wooden carvers embraced secular designs, regardless of potential conflicts with spiritual beliefs. The business operated as a cottage business, with workshops run by grasp craftsmen who obtained orders from middlemen corporations and supervised apprentices. Whereas some staff started investing their very own capital within the Nineteen Thirties, restricted sources hindered important growth. Merchandise equivalent to tables, desks, trays, containers, and chairs showcased intricate carvings, reflecting a rising demand for ornamental and utilitarian gadgets.
Travellers like TR Swinburne and Sir Francis Younger-husband praised the talent and ingenuity of Kashmiri artisans, underscoring the business’s modernity and excellence.
The Khatamband ceiling of Srinagar garnered such admiration that a number of have been even exported to England throughout the Dogra rule in Kashmir. This period marked the genesis of recent wooden carving, with intricate designs utilized to numerous articles of day by day furnishings.
Dr A Mitra, a distinguished minister of Maharaja Pratap Singh, organised an exhibition showcasing Kashmiri arts and crafts, additional boosting the wooden carving business. Singh personally introduced a wood-carved gate and frontage of the Kashmir camp to King George V throughout the Coronation Durbar in Delhi, selling Kashmiri wood-carving among the many British aristocracy.
Wealthier people each inside and out of doors Kashmir prolonged their patronage to the artisans, resulting in the evolution of recent designs by well-known craftsmen like Ustad Sultan Muhammad Buda. Based on the Report on Financial Survey of the Wooden-Carving Trade in Kashmir, Ustad’s contributions have been extremely esteemed, as he established a workshop and engaged staff, though some later left to begin their very own ventures.
What Is Wooden-Work?
Woodwork is an intricate course of of making ascetic designs on wooden, particularly walnut and notably the Juglans Regia species. Completely different components of the tree, together with branches, trunk, and roots, provide various colors and grain patterns, with wooden from the roots being probably the most prized for its sturdiness and distinct darkish color.
Craftsmen (Nakash) etch floral or different patterns via a dexterous use of mallet and chisel on wooden. Wooden carving is completed on a wide range of objects starting from furnishings (tables, chairs, writing desks, eating tables) to articles of private use like jewelry containers, photograph frames and varied different articles used for inside ornament. The artisans imbue their craft with religious symbols and motifs. This consists of motifs equivalent to lotus flowers, iris flowers, Chinar leaves, grape vines, and animal motifs, reflecting the wealthy cultural tapestry of the area.
The work is often executed in Karkhanas, which a Ustad (grasp) presides over. The Ustad is distinguished by its experience and possession of technique of manufacturing.
Karigars (expert staff) work beneath the Ustad, with every specialising in several elements of the craft. Novices be taught walnut wooden carving via apprenticeship, observing and imitating their masters. Apprentices begin with peripheral duties earlier than progressing to carving. They find out about instruments, uncooked supplies, and strategies equivalent to drawing designs on wooden. Completely different roles throughout the craft, equivalent to carving, carpentry, and sprucing, require distinct abilities and information. Turning into proficient in carving sometimes requires an extended apprenticeship in comparison with different roles.
The craft is historically male-dominated. Social norms and bodily necessities of the craft, equivalent to energy and posture, contribute to this gender divide. The socialisation inside wood-carving Karkhanas reinforces masculinity, with actions like singing, discussing politics, and internet hosting male acquaintances and prospects. These norms and practices create an atmosphere perceived as unsuitable for girls. Completed merchandise from the Karkhanas enter the market via varied channels for circulation.
A Practitioner Speaks
Nazir Ahmed Khan has been engaged within the career for the final thirty-five years. The artisans work in and round Chachabal, Safakadal, and Norbagh. Nawabazar, Fatehkadal, Gojwara, Rajourikadal, and Noorbag localities in Srinagar. Noorbagh, nevertheless, is the centre of the woodwork. Individuals belonging to the Najar caste are often the wooden carvers. However, there are folks from different castes, equivalent to Khan’s and Shah’s, who’re related to this craft.
The method that results in the completed product of Walnut wooden could possibly be summarised in factors under:
An aged walnut tree is axed and lower into fascinating items on a band noticed. Left for yearlong sun-drying, its bark is eliminated with a Randi.
A carpenter shapes the items of wooden into completely different articles: Mattress, Couch, Desk and so on, and quickly fixes them along with nails. The product, thus, reaches the wood-carver (Naqshgaar), who engraves the wooden with chisels and creates completely different designs, together with, Chinar, Grapes, Pear’s, Apples, Snakes and so forth.
There are two forms of craftsmanship: Kashmiri and Punjabi, the latter being expensive, time-consuming, extraordinarily intricate, is right down to minute particulars. Completely different designs are carved into wooden: Horses, Bears, Hookah, Harvesting scenes, and even from the Mughal troopers.
The chisels, and mallets, of various sizes the artisan procure from Rehbaab Sobun, an space in previous Srinagar metropolis. Sebargi, Aaarwouel, Advatith, Watith Narweol, Bod Nariweal, Lokut Nariwoel are a number of the devices utilized in carving.
After creating designs by first carving to disclose the cloaked decrease pores and skin (Zameen Kadun), then creating strains and designs (Guzar Dun), and sprucing, the product will get shifted to the carpenter once more. The carpenter joins the items of wooden again into the mattress, and chair, and polishes it.
Points
Khan, the walnut woodcarver, mentioned the sellers promote the merchandise at excessive charges leaving the artisans excessive and dry. He mentioned the sellers, skilled craftsmen and mediators, get the many of the artisans’ merchandise, creating an financial bipolar divide: elites gaining extra money leaving the poor artisan with a couple of dollars.
In addition to, they identified that a budget labour work executed by non-native seasonal labour for his or her elite craftsmen impacts the extent taking part in subject for the artisans.
#Resilience #Kashmiri #Woodwork
