Fahim Mattoo
Aari work which is known to be the most ancient and traditional type of art-work is losing its gleam day by day.
Aari work or (Aari kaem) embroidery is one of the popular embroidery on the Kashmiri dresses. In this art work, a sharp-edged needle is put to work which creatively gives rise to chain stitch kind of imprints.Aari work has always been considered one of the most delicate forms of needlework. Aari work is considered appropriate for all seasons as it can be done on velvet,silk,cotton,chanderi and many other fabrics it’s typically done on suits, stoles and shawls. Apart from clothes it’s found on home furnishings like bed covers,cushion covers and many more. Aari work was introduced in the 12’th century by persians.This art-work is a specialty of Kashmir artisans. The purest essence and forms of nature like birds, leaves, trees and many such natural motifs are replicated in this embroidery with multi colour threads.
“In the mid of 2000 when the new era of machines arrived in Kashmir the ancestors art faced biggest loss,said one of the artisan Mohd Yusuf Bhat with hopeless voice. “After lot of efficiency we hardly earn 100-150 Rupees per day which is not enough for our livelihood, after spending hours at particular place we face many health issues as well as our eye sight became too weak he added,”
While talking with another artisan Shakeel Ahmad Khanday,he said, “Government provided us loan in 2012 but till now we didn’t receive any subsidy,the art of embroidery is dying in Kashmir valley day by day it’s in a last stage.
Meanwhile talking with Mehraj ud din Bafanda he said, “Earlier we used to occupy a room where artisans would work together it was sort of workshop where 20 to 30 people from one area would work together but now people mostly work from home as newer generation is not learning this craft, art is one of the most ancient and most fundamental field of crystallization and manifestations of human soul but nobody want save it,”
“Usually customers prefer machine made designs compared to hand-made because it’s price is low, government had made big promises with us but they all false out, our daily life has been undergoing many difficulties, we are living a poverty life which is destroying our children’s future that is why newer-generation don't want to learn this art,”said one of the artisan.
“ I recently started machine work before this I was doing hand Aari work, this art was very famous in one time but now it is very difficult to fulfill daily needs,so I started the machine work, a suit that takes a day to work can be made with the same machine in one hour, No one wants to purchase hand-made items, because their cost is too high,” said Bilal ahmad sheikh,a well known Machine worker in Noorbagh area of Srinagar.
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