The Art and Craft of Kashmir – Kashmiri Handicrafts

Papier mache is artwork made from a mixture of glue, water and paper. It might seem weird as to what much can a person make of these three basic ingredients but the outcomes are always fascinating. Those who have a knack for art will find Kashmir Papier Mache very appealing. Though it is said to have come to Kashmir from Persia, Kashmiri artisans have embraced this art form and made numerous eye-catching pieces. Be it vases, boxes, bowls, cups or any other small objects, anything can be made by Papier Mache.

The most famous Kashmiri textile is Shawls and not just any shawls but Pashmina Shawls. The very first designs have been in existence from the seventh century but they gained popularity in the sixteenth century during the Mughal period. People in the kingdom grew very fond of the pashmina shawls. As mentioned, not only the people but the Mughal Emperor Akhbar was fascinated with Kashmiri shawls and had them sewn back to back. Their borders were embroidered with gold and silver to add to their beauty. These shawls were made such that their insides were never seen. That is how Kashmiri Do Shallas came into existence.

The wool for Pashmina shawls is extracted from specials goats in Ladakh. They grow cashmere wool on their belly during the winters to stay warm which is then shed during summer. That wool is rare since there are not many of the species. Once the end product is achieved the shawls and rugs are very soft, beautiful and high in demand. 

Kashmiri embroidery can be found on almost all kinds of clothes. The fine designs and intricate work makes clothes look out of this work. The most important kind is the crewel embroidery. When done with wool it adds a little weight to the cloth and uses pointed crochet on any suitable fabric. But when done using threat, the work becomes very fine and adds less weight to the cloth as compared to what wool adds. Crewel embroidery originally uses chain stitch and is used to chain stitch pillow covers, rugs etc.

Needlework embroidery is used in the designing of pashmina shawls and salwar kameez. It is done using a needle and is called ‘sozni’ by the locals. Another type is the gold and silver embroidery which uses imitation silver and gold embroidery on clothes. It is mainly used in ladies ‘pheron’ (cloak), shawls and salwar kameez. The locals call this method ‘tilla’.