Kashmir’s traditional crafts face succession challenge

Srinagar, Oct 12: Concerns over the future of Kashmir’s traditional handicrafts have resurfaced amid calls for greater support to artisans and renewed attention to the economic difficulties confronting the sector.
A delegation of artisans from Srinagar’s Shehr-e-Khaas raised concerns over the challenges facing traditional crafts. They sought intervention to address the difficulties confronting artisans and protect the craft sector.
The delegation said artisans receive only a limited share of the value generated by handicraft products, despite the demand for Kashmiri goods in domestic and international markets. It also cited the declining interest of younger people in traditional occupations, which it linked to concerns about the viability of making a livelihood from craftwork.
The issue extends beyond the preservation of artistic techniques to the economic conditions under which artisans work. Sustaining traditional skills requires younger practitioners to see a viable future in the occupations, alongside efforts to protect the quality and identity of Kashmiri handicrafts. [KNT]