World Craft City honor for Srinagar, but is it enough?

 Monday, December 16, 2024

Islamabad (Point News Today / Pakistan Point News - DW News - December 16, 2024) Sometimes in life we ​​get to hear such news, which makes us happy but at the same time the mind is caught in the clutches of questions. Something like this happened when my sister sent me a message one evening that there was an exhibition in Srinagar, which is very important to see. This message forced me to immediately do some research.

While searching on Google, I found that Srinagar has recently been given the honor of "World Craft City".

I was happy to hear this news that Kashmiri art has been recognized by the world, but as soon as I considered its details, many questions arose. Will this honor bring any real change in the lives of Kashmiri artisans? Or will it remain just another title? I remembered that in the year 2000, when we went to visit our relatives abroad, most of them had one request: to bring pashmina shawls with us.

This shawl is a sample of Kashmir's famous and valuable handicrafts all over the world. We took the pashmina shawl with us thinking that it would be expensive there, but when we went there, we were surprised to find that it was extremely difficult to find pashmina shawls there. I asked my father, how is it that such a famous thing is not available in the market here?" He said with a smile: "That is the problem." Despite its fame, Kashmiri handicrafts do not reach the international market as they should." When we visited the country again in 2023, 23 years later, we found that pashmina shawls were still rare. It was surprising to me why the skills of Kashmiri artisans, renowned for centuries around the world, have become so limited today. Reflecting on Kashmir’s history, an interesting picture emerged.

Kashmir was once an important part of the Silk Road, where traders and artisans from all over the world came. The handicrafts here made their mark not only locally but also globally. Kashmiri carpets, pashmina shawls, and other handicrafts once adorned the courts of kings and emperors. But after 1948, everything changed. Political conflicts and geographical division isolated Kashmir from the world.

The trade routes that were once the arteries of global trade were now closed. This isolation continues to be the biggest challenge for Kashmiri artisans. Their products are in demand worldwide, but they rely on local traders, who often They exploit them. The internet has made things easier to some extent, but Kashmiri products still do not have the place they deserve in the online market.

When Srinagar was awarded the title of “World Craft City”, it was undoubtedly a great achievement. It was a sign that the world appreciated Kashmiri art and craftsmanship. But the award was not just a moment of joy, but also a reminder of whether this award can make a difference in the lives of local artisans. Srinagar was earlier recognized as a “UNESCO Creative City”, which highlights its cultural significance.

But both these awards have failed to address the real problems of the artisans.

Pashmina is not just a shawl but a part of Kashmiri culture and heritage. In the Treaty of Amritsar of 1846, when the British bought Kashmir from the Dogra rulers, a condition of “three Kashmiri shawls” was included. This shows that it had not only aesthetic but also economic importance.

But in today’s times, these artisans do not get proper remuneration for their work. They are reluctant to pass on their skills to the next generations because the profession has become financially weak. When artisans sit at small tea stalls on the streets of Srinagar and tell their stories, there is a strange sparkle in their eyes. Listening to the stories of their experiences, it feels as if time has stopped for a moment.

But along with joy, there is a bitter truth hidden in these stories. It is clear that the title of “World Craft City” is an important milestone, but it can only be effective if the government and other relevant institutions take practical steps. Infrastructure will have to be improved to give Kashmiri handicrafts access to the global market. Restoring trade routes and adapting these artisans to modern technology is the need of the hour.

This title can be a message of new hope for Kashmiri handicrafts, but for this it is necessary that the government understands the problems of the artisans and takes serious steps to solve them. If this is possible, Srinagar will truly gain an important place on the world map, not just as a symbolic honor but as a living example.

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