Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], December 23 : As Christmas is around the corner, celebrations all over the country are in full swing. The paper mache artisans of the valley are very busy with making special balls and other gift items ahead of Christmas.
The festival time always provides joy to the valley's paper mache artisans, who receive large orders of special balls and other gift goods. So, during this time, a maximum number of paper mache artisans are very busy making various items such as special balls, Santa Claus, stars, crescents, bangles, and other gift items that people will be distributing and decorating their homes and churches on the occasion of Christmas.
They are receiving bulk orders from within the country as well as Europe, where people are celebrating the Christmas festival with zeal and using such beautiful paper mache products made by valley artisans on a large scale.
As a result, craftsmen are constantly striving to make their products more appealing to attract overseas buyers. Kashmiri papier-mache products are recognised all over the world for their refinement and durability, and Christian people can decorate their Christmas trees this year with paper-mache balls, stars, Santa Claus, and a variety of elegant items.
Tasaduq Hussain Mir, who is a paper mache artisan told ANI, "Christmas is the biggest festival in the world and we start getting orders 6 or 7 or 8 months before. We get big orders on Christmas including balls, bells, stars, Santa Claus and different articles that go to Europe and India even people in Kashmir like them."
He further talked about craft safari, an initiative taken by the handicraft and handloom department for the revival of Kashmir's cultural heritage. He also praised the director of handloom and handicrafts, in Kashmir, Mehmood Ahmad Shah, for his initiative and for promoting the art and craft of Kashmir.
"Craft Safari has made us famous in the world. Luckily, Srinagar has been recognized by UNESCO as a creative city and it has led to an increase in the export of our items. This year about 20 to 25 lakh pieces are exported for Christmas. We have been getting more Christmas orders for the past two or three years and the credit for this goes to Mehmood Ahmad Shah, director of handicrafts and handlooms Sahab, he has done a lot of work for the artisans, and he has promoted their art craft. We have become famous in the world," he added.
Syed Amjad Ali, a Dealer and paper Mache artisan also shared, "This is called paper mache as it is made using paper. We get a lot of orders during Christmas and thus for two months we just make products like balls, stars, Santa Claus, moons and all."
Normally Kashmiri artisans make paper pache products for tourists and during the peak season of tourism, they do very good business. But on Christmas, they are also getting big orders from foreign countries where they are sending their products in huge quantities and doing satisfactory business.
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