Hanging by a Thread - The Dying Art of Kashmir Weaving :

The art of weaving was introduced in the Kashmir Valley in the late 15th century by the King Zain-ul-Abidin, who had imported the art from Persia. Kashmir carpets and shawls still follow that tradition of intricate geometric and calligraphic motifs; their beauty lies in the detailed needlework. The art flourished during the time of the Mughals and the tradition continued even during the troubled times of Afghan and Sikh rule. When the British arrived in the early part of the 19th century, a certain utilitarianism came into the art that commercialized the woven products and Kashmiri carpets and shawls became the cynosure of connoisseurs’ eyes all over the world.

Handloom Textile Weaving includes shawl making, yarn spinning, Khadi weaving and related tasks. Weaving is an act of passing threads or strands of material under and over each other. By Weaving cloth, rugs, blankets shawls etc. are manufactured. Natural fibers used for weaving are cotton, silk and wool. Synthetic fibers such as nylon and Orlon are also used.

Due to mechanization, weaving is now done with the help of machines. Machines have increased the production and improved the quality of the final products. But traditional method of handloom weaving is still practiced in some states of India.

Weaving of Kani Shawl is very famous world wide. Kani weaving is believed to be an art indigenous to Kanihama and traced back to 3000 BC. This exquisite shawl was once coveted by Mughal Kings, Sikh Maharajas and British Aristocrats. The Ain-i-Akbari records that Emperor Akbar was an avid collector of Kani shawls.While the name 'Kani' comes from the area where this particular artisans come from, Kanihama, the word 'Kani' - in Kashmiri - also means a small wooden oblong spool.

Also, the Kashmir carpet industry is famous the world over. Kashmiri carpets are loved not only by the people of India but also by people in other countries. It is believed that the art of weaving Kashmiri carpets originated in Persia. Usually either silk or wool is used in making carpets.

The industry suffered a setback when the valley was engulfed in turmoil in 1989. With Indian military forces and separatists locked in a brutal and long-drawn conflict, the ancient craft of weaving fell into troubled times. Export orders dried up and inbound tourism hit an all time low. A lot of artisans fled the valley, creating a void.

Two and a half decades later, the valley has entered another crucial juncture and the lives of ordinary Kashmiris are threatened yet again. For the last four years, there had been a period of relative calm and the weavers and businessmen were beginning to get hopeful for a better future. Now, with escalating violence in the valley yet again, their dreams of rebuilding the ancient craft industry is fading.

And the industry is plagued by other handicaps. The cost of raw materials, namely the wool of the pashmina lambs, has become prohibitively expensive; the market is abound with cheaper domestic substitutes, and, most importantly, the young generation of Kashmiris seems entirely uninterested in mastering the skill of weaving due to the low pay in this sector.

But the singular problem threatening this beautiful craft is the continuing turmoil that saw Kashmir dubbed as one of the deadliest zones on the planet. The people of the valley fear that the ancient craft of Kashmiri weaving may soon be a relic of the past.