Walking along the banks of the Jhelum in
Srinagar, mighty chinar trees sway gently in the soft breeze. Soaking in
the beauty around it, Suffering Moses, a 173 year-old antique craft
shop well-known for its exquisite papier-mâché and wooden artefacts,
exudes a magical aura. Inside the modest shop, an antique wooden piece
with intricate carving draws you to it almost magnetically. "The fine
piece is 70 years old," reveals Muhammad Sadiq Wani, the 65 year-old
owner. "You won't find another evidence of this carving anywhere else. A
lot of patience and time, probably years, have gone into making this
single piece."
In Wani's office, adjacent to the shop, history seems to come alive; the place is rich with artefacts no less than 50 years old. The artistic khatamband ceiling, an excellent example of the age-old art of making geometrical patterns using small pieces of wood, radiates old-world charm. Wani's finely carved desk overflows with delicately designed art pieces such as a rectangular wooden flower vase, a papier-mâché pen stand and an old telephone apparatus.
Suffering Moses has a range of artefacts on sale: hand-painted papier-mâché and copper-lined bowls, lacquered wooden treasure chests, vibrant floral trinket boxes and handmade candlesticks, intricately designed pashmina and jamavar shawls, vintage woollen rugs, exotic petit point and exquisite pieces of Ari embroidery. The making of these wonderful artefacts—that has admirers around the world—involves rigorous processes. For example, in the case of papier-mâché, extensive preparation goes into the making of its basic structure, application of the colour and design. To produce world-class products that last a long time, Kashmiri craftsmen prefer natural colours.
The age-old craft shop is a perfect example of the cultural impressions Muslim preacher Mir Syed Ali Hamdani left on the Valley 700 years ago. Wani's ancestors were among the artisan families brought by the Persian poet all the way from Iran. The families were masters in their own trade: painters, silversmiths, shawl-makers. "My ancestors specialised in papiermâché, wood carving and embroidery," says Wani with pride.
These arts flourished during the British rule in India. To overcome the scorching summer heat, the British elite used to head for Kashmir to enjoy its cool climate. They bought movable boats called donga, converted them into houseboats and hired expert artisans to decorate the interiors. "It was during this period that many household decorative items like flower vases, bedside tables, pen stands and writing tables were introduced," says Wani. "Later, these beautiful artefacts were also exported."
In 1935, Suffering Moses opened a shop in Connaught Place in Delhi where Lady Mountbatten often came to shop. "But during Partition, the shop was looted," Wani recounts. "Later, my father went back, only to find that it was turned into custodial property. But many of our customers from England used to come even after 1947."
Though the handicrafts industry in Kashmir thrived for centuries, things have changed in the past 25 years owing to the extended conflict in the region. Apart from having an impact on production, there has also been a rise in the production of fake handicrafts. "We are just pulling along now," reveals Wani. "We are dependent on tourists for business, but inflow has fallen drastically because of the conflict. Last year was an exception however; I hope this year is good too."
There are other problems too. "The new generation is not too enthusiastic about this field," adds Wani. "Even younger people within the family are not interested in taking it up as a profession because they want to pursue education and other professions. Lack of patience is another reason; this skill takes 10-15 years to hone. But amid all these challenges, Suffering Moses has always given importance to quality, sometimes even at the cost of profit."
Now the question that should have been the first: Why the name 'Suffering Moses'? "The name was bestowed upon us in 1840 by a British Lord," answers Wani. "It's reflective of the pain one goes through in creating each piece of craft. For example, a fine kani jamavar shawl takes almost four years to make." No pain, no gain, right?
In Wani's office, adjacent to the shop, history seems to come alive; the place is rich with artefacts no less than 50 years old. The artistic khatamband ceiling, an excellent example of the age-old art of making geometrical patterns using small pieces of wood, radiates old-world charm. Wani's finely carved desk overflows with delicately designed art pieces such as a rectangular wooden flower vase, a papier-mâché pen stand and an old telephone apparatus.
Suffering Moses has a range of artefacts on sale: hand-painted papier-mâché and copper-lined bowls, lacquered wooden treasure chests, vibrant floral trinket boxes and handmade candlesticks, intricately designed pashmina and jamavar shawls, vintage woollen rugs, exotic petit point and exquisite pieces of Ari embroidery. The making of these wonderful artefacts—that has admirers around the world—involves rigorous processes. For example, in the case of papier-mâché, extensive preparation goes into the making of its basic structure, application of the colour and design. To produce world-class products that last a long time, Kashmiri craftsmen prefer natural colours.
The age-old craft shop is a perfect example of the cultural impressions Muslim preacher Mir Syed Ali Hamdani left on the Valley 700 years ago. Wani's ancestors were among the artisan families brought by the Persian poet all the way from Iran. The families were masters in their own trade: painters, silversmiths, shawl-makers. "My ancestors specialised in papiermâché, wood carving and embroidery," says Wani with pride.
These arts flourished during the British rule in India. To overcome the scorching summer heat, the British elite used to head for Kashmir to enjoy its cool climate. They bought movable boats called donga, converted them into houseboats and hired expert artisans to decorate the interiors. "It was during this period that many household decorative items like flower vases, bedside tables, pen stands and writing tables were introduced," says Wani. "Later, these beautiful artefacts were also exported."
In 1935, Suffering Moses opened a shop in Connaught Place in Delhi where Lady Mountbatten often came to shop. "But during Partition, the shop was looted," Wani recounts. "Later, my father went back, only to find that it was turned into custodial property. But many of our customers from England used to come even after 1947."
Though the handicrafts industry in Kashmir thrived for centuries, things have changed in the past 25 years owing to the extended conflict in the region. Apart from having an impact on production, there has also been a rise in the production of fake handicrafts. "We are just pulling along now," reveals Wani. "We are dependent on tourists for business, but inflow has fallen drastically because of the conflict. Last year was an exception however; I hope this year is good too."
There are other problems too. "The new generation is not too enthusiastic about this field," adds Wani. "Even younger people within the family are not interested in taking it up as a profession because they want to pursue education and other professions. Lack of patience is another reason; this skill takes 10-15 years to hone. But amid all these challenges, Suffering Moses has always given importance to quality, sometimes even at the cost of profit."
Now the question that should have been the first: Why the name 'Suffering Moses'? "The name was bestowed upon us in 1840 by a British Lord," answers Wani. "It's reflective of the pain one goes through in creating each piece of craft. For example, a fine kani jamavar shawl takes almost four years to make." No pain, no gain, right?
1 comment:
I have two Papier mache lamp shades ,possibly formed on a balloon with Himalayan hunting scenes .A label on the bottom. says Suffering Moses Katmandou
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