Shafaqna English– USA’s President Trump’s tariffs on imports can deal a hard blow to an already threatened Kashmir’s carpet-weaving that survived decades of conflict over the disputed region between India and Pakistan, and withstood the fickleness of fashion to stay.
Genuine hand-knotted Kashmiri carpets are typically made from pure silk, and sometimes pure wool. Generations of artisans have for centuries handed down the craft to ensure its survival, and while the carpets are expensive, most craftspeople can barely make ends meet.
“I just help my husband so that we have a modicum of decent income to run our household,” Shameema, 43, said as she and Mohammad rhythmically plucked at the colourful silk threads in their dimly lit workshop in Indian-administered Kashmir‘s main city, Srinagar.
They periodically glance at a yellowed scrap of paper, known as Taleem, or instructions, showcasing the pattern they are working on in an ancient shorthand of symbols and numbers and a cryptic colour map. Mohammad and Shameema learned the craft at the ages of nine and 10, respectively.
The industry has survived decades of conflict over the disputed region between India and Pakistan and withstood the fickleness of fashion to stay in demand, adorning mansions and museums alike.
However, Kashmiri traders say that tariffs on imports can deal a hard blow to an already threatened business that is vying to survive amid mass-produced carpets, which are less costly, and artisans abandoning the industry.
Source: Aljazeera