Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, June 10: Artisans, especially the women in the Aloosa area of district Bandipora, are seeking the Government’s attention to keep the craft of Kashmiri carpet weaving alive and to turn it into a source of livelihood.
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Currently, nearly 20 women of different age groups, including those who have completed their graduations, are learning the craft of carpet weaving at a skill center set up by the Department of Handicrafts and Handloom. However, they demand more support.
Those who spoke to Excelsior said that even though they are in the process of learning the craft, they have not received the monthly remuneration of Rs 1000 promised to them. They also noted a lack of measures by the Government.
“For the last 5 months, I have been here learning the craft; I have learned a good portion of it, but we have not received the promised money to be provided during the training,” said one of the trainees, Shazia, a graduate.
While she said the skill will enable her to earn a livelihood, Shazia noted that there is a need for more support from the authorities to keep the craft alive and to pave the way for the trainees to make use of the skills learned.
“There are many women here, some well-educated, but due to unemployment, they had no option but to learn the skill of carpet weaving. As of now, the pending remuneration must be paid, coupled with other measures for our betterment,” said another woman enrolled in the skill center.
They said that there is a need for necessary measures from the authorities, noting that only then can they make good use of the learned skills and feed their families.
Muhammad Maqbool, a trainer at the center who has been associated with the craft of carpet weaving, said that it is an art that is half-dead and that skilled artisans are looking for alternatives.
“Earlier, people were earning well, but over time, it has taken a hit, and artisans find it difficult to sustain, prompting them to look for alternatives. Many left this art long ago, while the remaining are looking for better options,” he said.
While the trainees are working on making a carpet 12 feet in length and 18 feet in width, the trainer said that to make the craft change the lives of the artisans, “there is a need for the authorities to focus on it, take measures, and ensure the required intervention; only then can we bring it back.”
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