Calling for government support, Ghulam Nabi Dar said there is a need to open woodcarving training centres to revive and sustain this traditional craft.
Kashmir's walnut wood carving, a prized craft, faces multiple challenges. The market is flooded with cheaper alternatives from Saharanpur, UP, diminishing the artisans' ability to compete. Additionally, the scarcity of walnut trees and smuggling of wood exacerbate the crisis. Despite government efforts, the younger generation shows little interest in learning the art, risking its future. Top artisans like Bilal Ahmad believe proper guidance and support can revive interest. The government should promote the art form, offer financial assistance, and provide opportunities for artisans. Preserving this legacy is crucial, as it faces challenges shared by other traditional Indian art forms. A comprehensive study is needed to analyze the sector and facilitate GI tagging.
While the BJP-run administration wants to allow Eid prayer at the historic Eidgah ground in Srinagar, the security establishment thinks it will create a law and order issue.
Architect Dr Sameer Hamdani’s book on sectarian reconciliation in Kashmir is a Himalayan contribution in offering a narrative purged from bias and slants, writes Raashid Maqbool Generations in Kashmir have grown up on folklore grapevine apparently aimed at retaining the rightful ground of truth a.