Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir) [India]: In an effort to uplift the art and artisans, the Jammu and Kashmir handicraft department had launched craft tours in the old Srinagar city.
Tourists were taken on a tour to the homes of the artisans and are shown the demonstration of the methodology of the craft. The tours enabled the artisans to directly interact with the buyers. The different kinds of crafts include wood carving, crewel embroidery, shawls and traditional wooden roofs known as Khatamband, etc.
“We don’t have just one talent. We have a lot of talent. If the government gives us more opportunities and support us then the problem of livelihood and unemployment will solve,” said Ali Mohamad, a renowned artisan.
“Kashmir is known as heaven on Earth and natural exquisite is well known but people do not know much about handicrafts. I am quite amazed to see some of the works that people do here. People have been doing these kinds of craftworks since the time of their ancestors. When you see the family businesses you get to know the genuineness of the art. I hope people come here and appreciate this kind of crafts as the family businesses are struggling,” Anjana Shankar, a visiting tourist.
“Crewel art employs a lot of people. There are people who do the embroidery. Then there are people who perform the task of dying and making the shawls. A lot of people’s livelihood is dependent on this,” said Khurshid Ahmad Naqash, an artisan.
“Kashmir is always been pitched as a tourist destination be it Gulmarg, Srinagar, Pahalgam, etc. we have not aggressively marketed ourselves as craft destination. So our focus has to be craft. We are launching the first craft tour today. We would be launching more craft tours in Srinagar. It gives opportunity to the artisans to directly connect with the buyer,” said Mehmood Ahmad Shah, Director Handicraft Kashmir. (ANI)
