Mubashir Aalam Wani
Srinagar, Jul 26: Jammu and Kashmir is full of talent and the people living across the Union territory have displayed it from time to time. A 49-year-old man from Lal Bazar area of Srinagar has come up with a fabric map of the city of 1.5 million on which he has defined all roads, water bodies and residential areas that existed since 1825.
Maqbool Jaan, an award winning artist, said that he got this concept when he found a fabric map in museums, which is in rotten state. “I found a copy of that map on a book which I started working on over a 6/ 4 sized cloth. It took me one year to complete this map. I used to work 2 to 3 hours on a regular basis,” Jaan said, adding that there is a need to promote this art, which has been introduced by the revered saint Hazrat Mir Syed Ali Hamadani popularly known as Ameer Kabir (RA).
“I tried to approach the handicrafts department in this regard, however, got no response. Many people from other States approached me so far with regard to the work for their States,” he said.
Notably, Jaan has received an award in pottery painting and has won gold medal in State of honours for South Asian competition of seven countries in the year 2007.
“This art is declining as the people are no longer adopting this work as the source of their livelihood. I want this art to sustain forever,” he said, adding that this work as a source of livelihood is better than working at a private office for eight hours on a daily basis.
Jaan is ready to teach this art to the youngsters in every educational institution for free so that this art can sustain further and the people can show their interest in this work.
“After completing this map, I will now come up with a world map and the work over my next art will commence from next year,” he said.
