The art of painting on the shawls in Kashmir — Photo essay

Mohd Ayoub Lone, a native of the Seer Hamdan area in the district of Anantnag, has been designing shawls for many years. He learnt this art from one of his relatives, Abdul Aziz Dar of Khanabal Anantnag.

Lone dropped out of school in order to learn shawl designing with Abdul Aziz Dar after being inspired by his wonderful work. According to Lone, his passion was the only reason in his inclination for shawl designs. Lone decided to switch from studying to designing because of his passion. However, Lone has carved out a niche for himself by creating distinctive shawls that resemble paintings in a field crowded with accomplished artists. He claimed that Kashmir’s handloom business is worth crores while describing his development in the field.

“An artist is likely to completely disappear if he fails to improve his skill set.” Lone wished to avoid experiencing the same fate. He started experimenting with his designs and as a result created distinctive patterns that combined historical and natural elements. His shawls represent everything, including flowers, birds, and animals as well as images of Mughal emperors. His spectacular shawls have not only brought him a significant number of clients, but they have also significantly raised his income and elevated him to the status of one of Kashmir’s most in-demand craftsmen.

Several valley residents who are interested in the arts start to be impressed by his abilities and want to learn from him. This inspired Lone to devote a few hours of his everyday labour to the instruction of art enthusiasts. Lone is extremely pleased of his role in helping to preserve the unusual history and has so far educated more than 200 craftspeople. Lone is a well-known senior craftsman in his community locally known as “Wusta,” and many people, especially young artisans, are in awe of his abilities.

The veteran artist said that his preference for painting scenes from nature and animals was what initially made him famous. “I made hundreds of shawls appealing by designing them. Each of my pieces is a work of art. Lone considers creating shawls to be the most respectable profession, but over the years, the government has neglected craftsmen by not providing them with the proper resources. Even though the government launched numerous programmes, just a few people received the advantages, he said.

The history of Kashmiri shawls is extensive, and they have long been popular all over the world. However, the genuine Kashmiri design has becoming less popular due to commercial technology constraints. Out of a five-person family, Lone, his wife, and their daughter work very hard to maintain the long-standing tradition. His daughter is currently working toward her graduation and has taken the initiative to master the unusual skill.