Jahangeer Ganaie
Srinagar, Jun 11: A young artist from Srinagar is breaking gender barriers and normalising the art of knitting and crocheting in society.
Nazar Nasir, 25, a resident of the Lal Bazar area of Srinagar who has completed his Masters in English, has turned his hobby into a very successful business venture.
Nazar said that during the 2016 agitation, his sister visited their aunt, who was a crocheter. During the shutdown, she learned some basics of the chain stitch.
“When my sister came back home, she had a ball of yarn and a hook. Out of boredom and curiosity, I asked her to teach me something because there was nothing better to do. I remember the moment I held the hook in my hand; it felt so natural. Slowly and steadily, I learned it,” he said.
“When the internet came back, I first searched for its name as I wasn’t aware of it and found it is called ‘crochet,’ and in Kashmiri, it is called ‘Qureshi.’ I downloaded a few videos to learn the basics and other techniques of crochet. After spending days and nights practicing, I managed to make a cap for myself,” he said.
Nazar Nasir said the cap was widely adored, and his friends started requesting him to make one for them. “Later, their friends saw it and also started to ask for the same cap. It began to propagate,” he said.
“Later, I used to post pictures of my creations on social media platforms, and I started getting orders for different items that I was making during my leisure time while studying,” Nasir added.
He said that he eventually started receiving orders from all over India and even from foreign countries. His work grew and eventually turned into a small business.
Nazar said that after completing his master’s, he decided to devote his whole time to crochet work, as it gave him mental peace and freed him from worries.
He said that he has been doing this work on a full-time basis, and even some women have learned this art and are now self-dependent.
“Kashmir has a rich craft heritage, but we have neglected it. I believe that if we promote our craft well, no one in Kashmir will be unemployed, as handmade work has significant scope,” he said.
“I think if you expose your kids to art and crafts at a younger age, they’ll have a better prospect of channeling their negativity into something positive,” he said, adding, “Youth must understand that not getting a government job isn’t the end of the world. Exposure to crafts can make them job providers, not seekers.”
Nazar said that during the initial stage, he was taunted, with some saying he was doing women’s work. “But one must do what they are best at without worrying about what people will say. I am doing this work to break barriers,” he said.
Nazar, who has won a state award in art, said he was offered a chance by the Madhya Pradesh government to conduct workshops to lure young people towards this art. However, such initiatives are lacking in Kashmir, where they are needed.
“Crafts in Kashmir have almost died, but there is a need to impart more skills to artists who know about knitting and other crafts so they can excel,” he said.
“People need to keep themselves engaged to avoid negativity. They can express themselves through art and, by refining their skills, turn it into a business,” he said.
He said there is a need to include craft work in co-curricular activities in educational institutions to develop creative minds and keep students away from negativity, such as drugs.
Nazar said he is helping some women with work and has been taking online classes to impart this art to others, enabling them to become economically independent.
