A highly talented papier machie artist from Srinagar has been working for the last four decades to keep the exquisite artwork alive.
Papier machie artists are abandoning the craft in the face of low wages with the younger generation little interested in carrying forward the trade. But Hakeem Manzoor Ahmed of Ganai Doori Alamgari Bazar Srinagar is now training his son to keep the paper machie art alive.
Talking to News Agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), Manzoor said that he was just 14-15 year old when he started learning this art from his elder brother who later abandoned it.
But Manzoor created a niche for himself by his unique papier machie products with different colour combinations.
“When this craft was in decline, we got an offer to work at Jamia Masjid Charar e Sharief. People were surprised by our work and they started enquiring about us which opened doors for opportunity,” he said.
“Since then I have worked on multiple projects including Ziyarat Dastgeer Sahab, Shah Hamdan Shrine Tral, Masjid at Police Lines Batamaloo, Khaqah-e-Moula, Naqshband Sahib shrine and currently we are about to start work at the shrine of Aishmuqam in Anantnag,” he said.
“Decorative items of paper machie items are more common. But the paper machie artwork that I do on walls is truly unique. This work is found in ancient masjids and religious shrines. Such colourful and wonderful work is also found in houseboats and houses of some affluent,” he added—(KNO)