This Handloom Centre In Lolab Continues To Produce Traditional Attire

65-year-old man wants to keep tradition alive

With machines replacing handlooms for ensuring large scale quantity, a 65-year-old man from Lolab continues to stick to traditional handloom. 

Running a centre for the last three decades,

Bashir Ahmad Shah, 65, resident of Lassipora area in Lolab’s Sogam in Kupwara told news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that they make different items including mufflers, carpets, woollen pheran etc.

“All our items are prepared from 100% original raw material. Everything we have ready here is affordable,” he added.

A former employee in the government handlooms department, he said that they process the raw material for reading items in the centre where 20 girls are working.

“The handmade machine used to prepare different items is called a draft machine. Blankets, cloth covers, pheran and many other things are made here. The only thing that we lack as of now is a finishing machine. We hope it is made available by the concerned department soon,” he said.

He claimed that the items prepared by them have more shelf life compared to the same things available in the market.

Rounaq, one among the girls working at the centre, said that the handloom items they prepare should reach global markets.

“Our handloom items should be exported to different countries.  It will promote Kashmir’s handicrafts and culture,” she said