The traditional Kashmiri silk carpets will soon be enhancing the beauty of the new Indian Parliament building. Can you Imagine, in the remotest village of Kashmir Valley where these carpets are being made, the artisans don't even know where the Indian Parliament is but are extremely joyous and proud that their hard work will be showcased at India's highest constitutional institution.&nbsp;

The artisans from this remote village of Khanpur area in central Kashmir's Budgam district are working day and night to make Kashmiri Silk Carpets for the Indian Parliament building in New Delhi. Over a dozen carpets are being made by 50 artisans in the village.&nbsp;

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''We are making these carpets for the New Indian Parliament. It's been months since we are working on these carpets and within a few days now, we will complete them. We are working day and night and most of the people in this village are working in the craft industry. The design is very different, and it was a little difficult to make but finally, we made it. It's a very intricate design. It took us double the time and it turned out to be extremely beautiful. There are around 12 carpets being made for the parliament. It will give us immense happiness when people see our work in the parliament,'' said Tariq Khan, Artisan.&nbsp;

Ghulam Ahmad Khan and his family have been in the carpet industry for the last 30 years. He says that making carpets for India's highest constitutional institution is a proud moment for them. The family received the order in the month of November 2021. Around 90 per cent of the work has been completed.&nbsp;

''It's an extremely happy moment. It's the first time in my life that I have received such an order. It's a proud moment for all of us. We are very happy, and this will help promote the industry further. It will give us a new identity when it's put up in the parliament,'' said Ghulam Mohammad Khan, Carpet Dealer.&nbsp;

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The carpets&nbsp;have a unique design and also a different shape. The designs have been incorporated from the traditional Kashmiri Pashmina shawl designs. The size of these 12 carpets is 11 feet by 8 feet each. And all these 12 carpets would later be put in a circular order at the Parliament.&nbsp;

''The size of the carpet is different. It starts with less width and goes on to become bigger. The bottom of the carpet is half the length of the top. The design is taken from the traditional Kashmiri shawls. It's very intricate and it makes it different from the rest. Around 90 per cent of the work is finished and within a few days, I think all the work will be completed. In total, we are making 12 carpets for the parliament. 9 are complete and work is going on three. We are hoping we will be able to finish it in a few days. We are extremely proud that Kashmiri carpets will go to the new parliament. Especially for the artisans who are working day and night for making these carpets. It's a proud moment for all of us. This will help to promote the art further. And it will help the industry, '' said Qamar Ali Khan, carpet dealer.&nbsp;

The artisans and carpet dealers of the Kashmir Valley are hoping that with these carpets being put at India's Highest Constitutional Building, not only the people of this country but across the world would be able to see the craftsmanship of the Kashmiri handicraft workers.&nbsp;

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The traditional Kashmiri silk carpets will soon be enhancing the beauty of the new Indian Parliament building. Can you Imagine, in the remotest village of Kashmir Valley where these carpets are being made, the artisans don't even know where the Indian Parliament is but are extremely joyous and proud that their hard work will be showcased at India's highest constitutional institution.

The traditional Kashmiri silk carpets will soon be enhancing the beauty of the new Indian Parliament building. Can you Imagine, in the remotest village of Kashmir Valley where these carpets are being made, the artisans don't even know where the Indian Parliament is but are extremely joyous and proud that their hard work will be showcased at India's highest constitutional institution. The artisans from this remote village of Khanpur area in central Kashmir's Budgam district are working day and night to make Kashmiri Silk Carpets for the Indian Parliament building in New Delhi. Over a dozen carpets are being made by 50 artisans in the village. Also read | Documents found in Mar-a-Lago 'possibly covered by attorney-client privilege' ''We are making these carpets for the New Indian Parliament. It's been months since we are working on these carpets and within a few days now, we will complete them. We are working day and night and most of the people in this village are working in the craft industry. The design is very different, and it was a little difficult to make but finally, we made it. It's a very intricate design. It took us double the time and it turned out to be extremely beautiful. There are around 12 carpets being made for the parliament. It will give us immense happiness when people see our work in the parliament,'' said Tariq Khan, Artisan. Ghulam Ahmad Khan and his family have been in the carpet industry for the last 30 years. He says that making carpets for India's highest constitutional institution is a proud moment for them. The family received the order in the month of November 2021. Around 90 per cent of the work has been completed. ''It's an extremely happy moment. It's the first time in my life that I have received such an order. It's a proud moment for all of us. We are very happy, and this will help promote the industry further. It will give us a new identity when it's put up in the parliament,'' said Ghulam Mohammad Khan, Carpet Dealer. Also read | Iraqi protesters take dip in pool after storming presidential palace in Baghdad - WATCH The carpets have a unique design and also a different shape. The designs have been incorporated from the traditional Kashmiri Pashmina shawl designs. The size of these 12 carpets is 11 feet by 8 feet each. And all these 12 carpets would later be put in a circular order at the Parliament. ''The size of the carpet is different. It starts with less width and goes on to become bigger. The bottom of the carpet is half the length of the top. The design is taken from the traditional Kashmiri shawls. It's very intricate and it makes it different from the rest. Around 90 per cent of the work is finished and within a few days, I think all the work will be completed. In total, we are making 12 carpets for the parliament. 9 are complete and work is going on three. We are hoping we will be able to finish it in a few days. We are extremely proud that Kashmiri carpets will go to the new parliament. Especially for the artisans who are working day and night for making these carpets. It's a proud moment for all of us. This will help to promote the art further. And it will help the industry, '' said Qamar Ali Khan, carpet dealer. The artisans and carpet dealers of the Kashmir Valley are hoping that with these carpets being put at India's Highest Constitutional Building, not only the people of this country but across the world would be able to see the craftsmanship of the Kashmiri handicraft workers. WATCH WION LIVE HERE -

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The north Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir is world famous for its intricately hand-woven silk carpets, which is in huge international demand. The carpet industry of Kashmir which was once the flagship of the state is sadly, however, &nbsp;facing a fast decline.

The handwoven silk carpets of Jammu and Kashmir are perhaps the most luxurious items that India showcases internationally. Each carpet is like a magic one and if though they do not fly, they have elaborate designs, vivid colour combinations, but above all, a durability which has made the Kashmiri carpet world famous for centuries.

The carpet craft arrived in the Kashmir valley in the 16th century from Persia. After the sufi saint Akhun Rehnuma went on a pilgrimage to Mecca. On his way back he learned the art of weaving carpets from the Persians. The industry expanded under the Dogra rule and the carpets became a favourite in British and European markets.

In recent years, however, this cottage industry has been in decline. in Srinagar, every second household used to have a cottage unit for crafting carpets. Now, there are only a handful of these units left in the city.

WION visited one of the last remaining carpet manufacturing units of Srinagar to try and understand what could be unthreading such a beautiful trade. Mehraj Din has been weaving carpets for three decades and says the younger generations have given up on the craft, thinning out the production.

Veteran carpet traders and exporters say the brand value of Kashmiri carpets in the international market still holds its high.

Says Mubeen Shah, a carpet exporter, &#39;&#39;There are four places in the international market which make these carpets: turkey, Iran, Kashmir and China&hellip; they make silk carpets. china make Turkish, Persian and now Kashmiri designs. Lots of retailers sell Chinese carpets as Kashmiri carpets because our brand is better.&#39;&#39;&nbsp;

As per the economic survey of Jammu and Kashmir, the total carpet exports in 2011 to 2012 amounted to 86 million dollars. but from 2016 to 2017 the exports decreased to 56 million dollars.

meanwhile, Iran - a rival in the field - has exported products worth 275 million dollars internationally.

Traders say a decreasing production isn&rsquo;t the only problem. creative designs are struggling to compete with their Iranian counterparts. The material used has also become substandard over the years. Carpet weaving units prefer low-quality Chinese silk yarn to the indigenous silk to bring down production costs.

&#39;&#39;In Iran and Turkey, they are promoting designers, individual designers. They are promoting silk carpets with their name. It is just like a brand, for example, you buy a branded watch or a branded bag. the material may not be so great but the brand adds value. The same happens in Iraq. They have developed brands for last 30-40 years and that differentiates between the very high quality and low quality in the market. By introducing new looms, our carpet designs will have better quality. We also have to use mulberry silk. People here had shifted to spun silk which is brought from Bangaluru. &#39;&#39;We need to use mulberry silk and by that will improve on quality this is a traditional industry, where there is little scope to modernise the manufacturing part of it.in other aspects there is a need for modernisation in promoting and marketing like using social media for our branding. The Kashmiri carpet has a good international value,&#39;&#39; Mubeen Shah added.

In recent years, however, this cottage industry has been in decline

The north Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir is world famous for its intricately hand-woven silk carpets, which is in huge international demand. The carpet industry of Kashmir which was once the flagship of the state is sadly, however, facing a fast decline. The handwoven silk carpets of Jammu and Kashmir are perhaps the most luxurious items that India showcases internationally. Each carpet is like a magic one and if though they do not fly, they have elaborate designs, vivid colour combinations, but above all, a durability which has made the Kashmiri carpet world famous for centuries. The carpet craft arrived in the Kashmir valley in the 16th century from Persia. After the sufi saint Akhun Rehnuma went on a pilgrimage to Mecca. On his way back he learned the art of weaving carpets from the Persians. The industry expanded under the Dogra rule and the carpets became a favourite in British and European markets. In recent years, however, this cottage industry has been in decline. in Srinagar, every second household used to have a cottage unit for crafting carpets. Now, there are only a handful of these units left in the city. WION visited one of the last remaining carpet manufacturing units of Srinagar to try and understand what could be unthreading such a beautiful trade. Mehraj Din has been weaving carpets for three decades and says the younger generations have given up on the craft, thinning out the production. Veteran carpet traders and exporters say the brand value of Kashmiri carpets in the international market still holds its high. Says Mubeen Shah, a carpet exporter, ''There are four places in the international market which make these carpets: turkey, Iran, Kashmir and China… they make silk carpets. china make Turkish, Persian and now Kashmiri designs. Lots of retailers sell Chinese carpets as Kashmiri carpets because our brand is better.'' As per the economic survey of Jammu and Kashmir, the total carpet exports in 2011 to 2012 amounted to 86 million dollars. but from 2016 to 2017 the exports decreased to 56 million dollars. meanwhile, Iran - a rival in the field - has exported products worth 275 million dollars internationally. Traders say a decreasing production isn’t the only problem. creative designs are struggling to compete with their Iranian counterparts. The material used has also become substandard over the years. Carpet weaving units prefer low-quality Chinese silk yarn to the indigenous silk to bring down production costs. ''In Iran and Turkey, they are promoting designers, individual designers. They are promoting silk carpets with their name. It is just like a brand, for example, you buy a branded watch or a branded bag. the material may not be so great but the brand adds value. The same happens in Iraq. They have developed brands for last 30-40 years and that differentiates between the very high quality and low quality in the market. By introducing new looms, our carpet designs will have better quality. We also have to use mulberry silk. People here had shifted to spun silk which is brought from Bangaluru. ''We need to use mulberry silk and by that will improve on quality this is a traditional industry, where there is little scope to modernise the manufacturing part of it.in other aspects there is a need for modernisation in promoting and marketing like using social media for our branding. The Kashmiri carpet has a good international value,'' Mubeen Shah added.

Jammu and Kashmir's carpet industry in decline

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