Carpets
Carpet weaving in Kashmir (India) arrived with the Mughals. The craft
flourished in Kashmir and now Kashmir has become a hub for the quality
rugs. The patterns are influenced by the Persian style with Indian
version. One typically Kashmiri Indian pattern is the tree of life.
It is the color of the
carpet that helps distinguish it from others. The colors of Kashmiri
carpets are more subtle and muted. The yarn is dye using vegetable
colors. The yarn is either silk, wool or a combination of the two. Wool
pile is more common. Woolen carpets always have a cotton base but silk
carpets may have a cotton or silk base. Woolen carpets are more common
and affordable than the silk though silk is used in the woolen carpets
for highlights.
Just like Persian carpets, the knotting
determines the durability. Other quality aspects include color and
design. The kashmiri carpets can be double knotted and single knotted.
The single knotted pile is fluffier than the double knotted. The pile of
the double knotted carpet is less resistant to touch and pressure.
Kashmiri
silk carpets hold a special place in the arena. They are made in the
Persian style and are known for their intricate patterns and high knot
density reaching upto 400 knots per square inch. Though the craft here
has been inherited from Persia, the Kashmir carpets have over the time
developed original style . |
