Once home to over a dozen artists, Dar is the lone remaining Namda craftsman in Monghama hamlet in the Pulwama region of southern Kashmir.
The story of this vanishing art is betrayed on his face by the deep folds. “I am the only one in the village, struggling to scrape a living from this age-old craft,” 70-year-old Dar said.
Dar recalls the happy old days of people with disabilities when he would stay “buried in work.”
Working on wool carding, Dar remarked, “I had dozens of artists working with me.”
Namdas are made from sheep wool using a felting technique instead of conventional weaving.
Over the past twenty years, machine-created carpets have almost replaced Namdas from the drawing rooms of residents all over Kashmir.
“People in few rural areas still use Namdas while some urban families buy them for decorative purposes,” added Dar.
Declining demand for Namdas results from shortages of raw materials like pure wool, a lack of competent artists, and the entrance of modern furniture.
Dar claims it is now somewhat difficult for Namdas to get pure wool.
“Also, the younger generation is hardly interested in Namda art since they find the craft not profitable,” he said.
From 1998 to 2008, Namdas had a total drop in exports.
Under Skill India’s Pilot Project, the government imparted training to 2200 individuals from six districts–Srinagar, Baramulla, Ganderbal, Bandipora, Budgam, and Anantnag– in Namda craft to revitalize the heritage crafts.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised the artisans when the first set of Namdas was shipped to the UK in 2023.
He called it fantastic news for the cultural legacy of Kashmir. An artisan from the nearby Budgam district remarked, “The Namda art could be revived if the government takes it seriously.”
