Kashmir’s carpets are handmade, hand-knotted, and are primarily made using pure wool, pure silk, and occasionally wool and silk blends. These are available in wide-ranging colours, designs, and sizes.

Kashmir is famous for its handicrafts which are known for their unique value across the world. The Kashmir carpet making craft is one of them. Locally known as “Kaleen Baafi” is a centuries-old traditional livelihood practice, which has employed thousands of families. 

Kashmir’s carpets are handmade, hand-knotted, and are primarily made using pure wool, pure silk, and occasionally wool and silk blends. These are available in wide-ranging colours, designs, and sizes.

As per historians, the origin of hand-knotted carpets dates back to the 15th century when the then emperor of Kashmir, Sultan Zainul Aabideen, popularly known as Budshah, brought carpet weavers from Persia and central Asia into Kashmir to train the local inhabitants for generating employment.

Carpets from Kashmir are made with wool & silk yarn and are ranked amongst the finest in the world. The loom used in Kashmir carpet weaving is composed of two horizontal wooden beams, between which the warp threads are stretched – one beam in front of the weaver and the second behind the first.

There are different types of knots and in Kashmir, the Farsi baff and the Persian system is known as Sehna, or Sinneh, where the knot is originally used. Very simple tools are used to thread these knots – a wooden or metal comb to push knots and weft tightly together and a pair of short scissors to cut the pile of the carpet to an even form once it is finished.

Kashmir also excels in the manufacture of silk carpets. Designs and patterns in Kashmiri carpets continue to be predominantly inspired by classical Persian and Central Asian rugs.

 Kashmiri carpets are renowned to have bright, jewel-like colour tones such as sapphire blue, ruby red, emerald green, aquamarine, amethyst, and ivory.

 In the mid 18th century, Kashmiri carpets of the Mughal era were on display at the Crystal Palace Exhibition in London. The Europeans loved the intricacy of the design and were awed by the iridescence of the many hues of these carpets.

 Rugs from Kashmir are traditionally made in oriental, floral designs that typically involve significant and culturally important motifs such as the paisley and chinar tree.

 These designs are rooted in the Kashmiri way of life and are a symbolic representation of the age-old tradition of hospitality, warmth, and love.

Over the past several decades, the golden art of Kashmir which is well accepted in national and international markets is on the decline with the government trying to push it up.

In the past, art used to provide a livelihood to thousands of families associated with it. It was also acting as a vital source of income when there was no other work to be done.

These carpets were primarily made in the vicinity of Srinagar, north Kashmir and some parts of south Kashmir. Now it has been limited to few places following the decline in market rates and trends.

There is a need to revive the dying art and professional trainers need to be engaged in it. Even a single piece of carpet can generate employment for 3-4 people for several months. Government has to play an important role by providing good wages to weavers and ensuring the art of making carpets does not die in Kashmir.