Honoring its cultural heritage, and known for its traditional crafts, Kashmir is known amongst the top works in textiles too. However, Namda works-a highly specialized and exquisite form of felt-making-holds a unique place.
In these currents of centuries-old Kashmiri artisanal traditions, Namda-wool-based hand-woven rugs with fine embroidery-gives not only artistic charm but also cultural and historical definition to the region.
However, like many other heritage crafts, Namda works are on the verge of being slaughtered in today’s modern world, thereby putting the lives that depend on this craft also in jeopardy.
Namda, a dying legacy, crafted decorative rugs with much hand-pukka and felting work into wool. The traditions were brought into the Valley many centuries back.
These rugs were very important during brutal winter times, for they were very tough and warm, good-looking, and resistant. In Namda’s good period, there was a tremendous demand for it locally and globally. In fact, this demand guaranteed artisans an income that would sustain their living, and thus the craft flourished-economic and cultural greats for the entire region.
Nevertheless, ever since, this craft has rapidly declined; many factors have contributed to this decline. Namda was at one time very productive; its challenges have now multiplied. Mainly, the foremost thing is the challenge of modernization and changing consumer tastes. These rapidly changing consumer tastes, together with globalization, have put traditional crafts at a disadvantage against cheap mass production.
An upsurge in the crafting of Namda needs to be looked into seriously for skill-oriented initiatives. The programs designed should focus on equipping the younger generation with the training in traditional techniques that would help resonate the crafts with modern design sensitivity to appeal to contemporary tastes and markets.
The availability of support schemes from the government in the form of handicraft projects extended by the Ministry of Textiles is one possible road to pursue, but the localized initiatives like the specialized training centers in Kashmir will assure the survival of the craft.
The GI tagging of Namda would work toward enabling the artisans to safeguard their intellectual property from any kind of stance of misappropriation and to bestow it with a unique identity in Kashmir.
This treasure must be preserved by concerted efforts on behalf of all stakeholders-whether government, NGOs, business enterprises, or consumers.
