Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Mar 22: In a bid to bring the artistic creativity of Srinagar city to the fore, the Handicrafts Department today organized ‘Craft Safari’ at the Kathi Darwaza area of Srinagar.
On the occasion, the officers from the Handicrafts and Handloom Department, intellectuals, academic scholars, journalists, Tour operators, students and people from other art-loving fields visited the workplace of Mir Abdul Majeed, a master artisan in Aari embroidery craft.
The team also visited the workplaces of Mohammad Aslam Khan of Sozni Craft, Pashmina Rafugari unit of Mushtaq Ahmad Jan, Pashmina Spinning unit of Khadija and Fahmida, Unique Handloom Cottage Industry of Pashmina Weaving and concluding at the Moikashni unit of Basharat Ahmad.
Officials said that the Craft Safari, a unique initiative from the department of Handicrafts & Handloom Kashmir, aims to strengthen the international cooperation between Srinagar and the rest of the World for sustainable development and enhancement initiatives to make creativity an essential component of the development
Director Handicrafts & Handloom who is instrumental in organising the craft safaris reiterated the commitment of the department to make Srinagar lead an example for the rest of the Kashmir Division to witness the development of hubs of creativity and innovation
“We are trying to make the youngsters aware of how it all is done. We are trying to make them understand the background of the crafts that are made in Srinagar. The youth should amplify it and should ensure that working and the making of the handicraft items is highlighted,” the Director said.
The officials said that the conduct of the Craft Safaris by the department specifies ways for the handicraft producers how to become better integrated into the tourism value chain to increase their income.
They said that Srinagar city is globally renowned for attracting international visitors, which offers many opportunities for the artisans to sell handicrafts, as tourists spend significant amounts of money on souvenirs and other craft products.
Follow our WhatsApp channel