Kashmiri Women Fight to Keep Tradition of Paper-Mache Art Alive – RisePEI
As a toddler, Masrat Jan, now 47 years previous, would wait desperately for the month to finish. That was when her mom alongside along with her 4 siblings would journey to her father’s house in Srinagar, the summer time capital of Indian-administered Kashmir, to go to her grandparents.
There, Jan was in a position to do what she cherished most: play with colours.
Her grandfather ran a Karkhana — a workshop during which he and his staff spent hours drawing papier-mâché artwork, a craft the place artisans mould numerous shapes out of mashed paper, wooden, and different supplies. After smoothing, or pishlawun, the objects are then embellished with completely different motifs.
Jan was mesmerized by the polished papier-mâché objects like Santa Claus, Easter eggs, flower vases, elephants, cats and lots of others which might later be exported, primarily to Europe and the US.
Papier-mâché has been practiced for hundreds of years by Kashmiri artisans like Jan’s grandfather, who make their dwelling from the craft. However, in recent times, simply as Kashmiri papier-mâché has gained recognition in museums the world over, the famend and beloved artwork has confronted extinction.
The variety of papier-mâché artisans has shrunk as a result of meager (and shrinking) wages, widespread well being points, and an absence of presidency help. But, Jan and her colleagues in Kashmir are decided to make sure the craft survives.
