Thursday, August 19, 2010

Handicrafts of Kashmir

Kashmiri handicrafts are always appreciated for their exquisite craftsmanship. Kashmir carpets, in both wool and silk with their Persian design, are an investment for life and the shopping paradise range from the simple to the most extraordinary intricate patterns handed down the generations. The products range from paper mache jewelry boxes, frames, a series of intricately carved walnut furniture and accessories, mirrors, stones, boxes, beautiful woolen scarves, Crewel embroidery on furnishing material.  ( Kashmiri food festival )

The main handicrafts of Kashmir as follows:

Carpeting
A carpet may be the most expensive purchase of your trip to Kashmir also, but it is a lifelong investment. Kashmiri carpets are known throughout the world in two things. One is that they are handmade, and the other is that they are always knotted, never tufted. It is extremely instructive, will be to see a carpet. Taut on a frame is the warp of a carpet. The weft threads are passed through, specifications are the "tale" or design and color, then worked out. A strand of yarn is the warp and weft, knotted and then looped cut. The yarn used normally is silk, wool or both. Wool carpets always have a cotton base (warp and weft), while silk usually has a cotton base. Occasionally, carpets are manufactured on a base of cotton, the wool pile with silk yarn used primarily as highlights on certain motifs. When the dealer specifies the percentage of each yarn used, he also takes into account the yarn for the base used. Thus, a rug made of pure silk with a pile are called "80 percent silk carpet" and the warp and weft are not made of silk. A third type of staple yarn, mercerized cotton, also known as, is a man-made fiber. His glory is like silk, although much lower price than silk is in, but more expensive than wool. Staple carpets are made to a slot on the market as customer demand carpets, which are not unlike silk in appearance, so that the interiors of the houses fill with mixture. One important difference between silk and staple food, is that pure silk is far lighter than staple food per unit area. Carpet weaving in Kashmir was not originally indigenous but is likely to come in the form of Iran. Until today, most designs clearly Persian with local variations. An example, but a typical Kashmir carpet is the "tree of life". Every carpet is woven in Kashmir Kashmir rug called. The color-way of a carpet and its details, they differ from other carpet. It should be noted that although the colors of Kashmiri carpets more subtle and muted than elsewhere in the country, only chemical dyes are used. The knotting of carpet is the most important aspect, determining its durability and value, in addition to their design. Basically, the more knots per square inch, the greater its value and durability. Count the number of nodes on the back of the carpet in one square inch, and it should be the same as the dealer says about to give you or take 10 knots. If you are told that a carpet contains 360 knots, and count indicates about 10 less, it simply means that the shot was not yet in parts of combed evenly, and several samples while the carpet is also about the character of Go to estimate the dealer. There are also single-and double-carpets. You can easily identify one from the other on the back of the carpet. The effect that the stack also important - a double knotted carpet has a pile, if one kind of brush with the hand flexes and an upright position when it is brushed in another direction a. A single knotted carpet is fluffier and more resistant to the touch, there is no "right" and "wrong side to brush."

Namdas
Far less expensive are these colorful floor coverings made of wool and cotton fibers that are pressed in the form manually. Prices vary with the percentage of wool - a wool namda 80 percent more expensive than the 20 percent wool. Chain-stitch embroidery in woolen and cotton thread is taken on these carpets.

Paper mache
On first glance, all the objects from paper mache about the same, but there is a price difference to the quality of the product depends on. But besides these, there are three different varieties of paper mache, cardboard or some are actually wood! The idea is not to deceive the unwary, however, but a cheaper product with the look of paper mache to offer. To papier-mache, first paper is soaked in water until it disintegrates. It is then suggested a solution mixed with glue, forms characterized above, and allowed to dry and set before printed and painted. Paper, which was beaten to a pulp, has the smooth surface in the final product. When the knock was not so thoroughly, the surface less smooth. The designs for objects made of paper mache are painted in bright colors. They vary in artistry and the choice of colors, and it is not difficult to tell mediocre piece from an excellent one. Gold on most objects will be used to, as either a single color or a highlight for certain motifs. In addition to processing of the product is used, the quality of gold, which determines the price. Gold leaf, the unmistakable sheen has a far more expensive than bronze dust or gold poster paint is. Paint, the finished product is applied to the up, gives a high gloss and smoothness, and increases with each layer applied.

Scarves
It has three fibers from which Kashmiri shawls made - wool, pashmina and Shahtoosh. The woolen cloths are within reach of most people, while Shahtoosh is only one-in-a-lifetime purchase one. Woolen shawls are popular because of the embroidery work on them, which in Kashmir is unique. Both embroidery and the type of wool used bring differences in price. Wool woven in Kashmir and is known as Raffel always 100 percent pure. Sometimes fits embroidery is done on them from other parts of the country are used and Kashmir. The mixtures Cashmilon contain cotton or a mixture of both. Pashmina is unmistakable for its softness. Pashmina wool is spun from the hair of the ibex found in the highlands of Ladakh, at 14,000 feet above sea level. Although pure Pashmina is expensive, sometimes below the cost of being mixed with rabbit fur or wool brought by. It is based on pashmina shawls that Kashmir's most beautiful embroidery is done, sometimes the whole surface, they merit the name of "Jamawar". A second, less frequently seen weave done only on pashmina, covered the surface with tiny lozenge shaped squares, which by the name 'chashm-e-bulbul "or" Eye of the bulbul is known. "As this weave is a masterpiece of the weaver's art, it is normally not embroidered. Shahtoosh from which the legendary" Ring Scarf "is made, is incredibly light, soft and warm. The price it commands in the market because of the scarcity of raw material. High in the plateau of Tibet and the eastern part of Ladakh, the Tibetan antelope graze. During the grazing are a few strands of down the throat to throw from that of compiled the nomads are carefully to the Kashmir makers Shahtoosh deliver scarf. The yarn is either Shahtoosh alone or with pashmina spun mixed, the reduction of costs. In the case of Shahtoosh also are pure, there are many qualities - the yarn all the subtlety of a train similar to silk can be spun. Not only the skin, from such fine yarn, extremely expensive, but can be loosely woven and are just too thin for the embroidery done on them be. Unlike wool and pashmina shawls, dyed Shahtoosh is rare. His natural color is brown a wallflower, and it is embroidered thin. ( Dal Lake )

Embroidery
Many kinds of embroidery are worked on shawls. "Sozni" (needlework) is generally in a panel the sides of the scarf manufacturing. Motifs, usually abstract designs or stylized paisleys and flowers are one or two, and sometimes worked in three neutral colors. The trick is not otherwise employed as stem stitch, and only the outlines of the design is embroidered. The fineness of execution and the level of embroidery determines the value of the scarf. Sozni often done so skillfully that the motif appears on both sides of the scarf on each side a different color scheme. Another type of needle embroidery is popularly known as "paper mache" work because of the design and the style in which it is running well known. This is done either in broad panels on either side along the width of a shawl or to the entire surface the width of a cloth or have done. Flowers and leaves are chain stitch in bright colors as they, and each motif is then set to work in papier mache in black. A third type of embroidery is Aari or hook embroidery. Motives are the famous flower-design fine concentric rings of chain stitch worked.

Copper and silver
The old city is full of shops, in which objects made of copper on the walls, the floor and even the ceiling, usually for the local market, produced in. Craftsmen can often be seen as objects of household utility samovars be engraved, bowls, plates and trays. Floral, geometric, leaf and sometimes calligraphic motifs stylized engraved or embossed on copper and silver, occasionally to the entire surface with intricate patterns, which are then oxidized, so stand out better from the background. The work, known as "naqashi", determines the price of the object as the weight.

Saffron
Pampore, near Srinagar, is the only place in the world besides Spain where saffron is grown. The climate of Kashmir is ideal for walnut and almond trees that grow here in abundance. Natural honey is also a product of hives in the State are, abound. The Crocus sativus plant, which blooms in a short month for, has six golden stamens and one crimson one. It is the red stamens, which if collected and dried, the forms and saffron the most expensive spice in the world is. Sealed jars this spice, with the government seal of approval of the laboratory, are available in the entire Srinagar to. When buying loose saffron, sampling one strand is enough to flavor and fragrance of saffron are unmistakable for the.

Wickerwork
Willows that grow abundantly in swamps and lakes in Kashmir are used to make objects charming, of baskets and lampshades, tables and chairs, all generally inexpensive to. To increase its life, unvarnished products should be selected and sprayed with water regularly, especially in hot, dry climate, in order to prevent brittle to.  ( Anantnag )

Wood carving
Kashmir is the only part of India where the walnut tree grows. Its color, grains and inherent sheen are unique and unmistakable, and the carving and FRET-work, which is made of wood on this is a very high quality. Article walnut come from three parts of the tree - the branches, trunk and root. The branches have the palest color of the wood and the trunk the darkest. Branches have no veins, while the tribes of the most marked veins. Objects, the root made from the most expensive, because the wood can be used. As walnut is a soft wood, it will take very good carving. Chinar leaves, flowers, vines and can be either carved along borders or can fill entire surfaces. The art of carving and its abundance dictates the cost. Jewelry boxes and the larger jewelry box should invisible seams. Other objects are walnut wood salad bowls, nut bowls, picture frames, trays and furniture, which of simple spreadsheets to sophisticated telephone tables with six chairs. In the case of furniture, wood is the price determined by the thickness of the used.

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