Hand Knotted Silk Carpets from Kashmir

A Kashmiri women knotting a fine Silk Carpet.

The history and development of the carpet industry in Kashmir was associated with and influenced by the opulent lifestyles of its rulers, nobles, and aristocrats.  The introduction of this industry into Kashmir dates back to the reign of Zain-ul-Abdin (1423-1474 CE) who was named Badshah (the great king) by his subjects. Hundreds of master craftsmen were invited to Kashmir from Persia & Central Asia. Most of the craftsmen settled in Kashmir and initiated rug weaving.  This is perhaps due to an atmosphere conducive for this trade and also the great appreciation for these works of art. 

          Later, during the reign of Mughals, rug weaving gained a prominent position and emperors like Jahangir and Shah Jan (who built the monument of love, ‘The Taj Mahal’) established a distinctive style in Arts and Architecture of that era.  The carpets woven during those periods bore similar motifs, patterns, and decorative styles as found in the palaces and monuments. 

          To trace the history of the hand-knotted carpets is to follow a path of cultural growth of one of the greatest civilizations the world has ever known.  From being simply articles of necessity, used simply to cover the floor area near any entrance and to protect the nomadic tribesmen from dampness and cold, the increasing beauty of the carpets found them new owners, kings and noblemen.