Abdul Majeed Shah – Making shawls for 40 years in Kashmir

Working in his cramped shop on one of his most expensive shawls, an old-timer craftsman – Abdul Majeed Shah – seems quite cut off from the world outside. The focus on work hides his underlying excitement quite easily. He is just months away from finishing work on the shawl that is pre-sold to a trader for a hefty amount of Rs. 1,15,000.
Abdul Majeed Shah - Making shawls for 40 years in Kashmir - Digpu
Adopted by a couple at a tender age of 18 months, Abdul Majeed lived in Srinagar till he grew old. After setting up a small shop in Pulwama, the veteran craftsman moved to Tenghar village of the south Kashmir district.
Abdul Majeed Shah - Making shawls for 40 years in Kashmir - Digpu
Abdul Majeed Shah – Digpu
“I have been working for more than 40 years and continued with the craft out of my love and passion for this. Otherwise, the consistently declining earnings presented many challenges which nearly choked me financially,” he says.
Abdul Majeed Shah - Making shawls for 40 years in Kashmir - Digpu
An Ethereal Marvel Created By Shah That Will Remain For Generations Altogether
About his latest assignment, Majeed says, “The shawl is pre-sold to a trader in Srinagar. It has taken me more than a year already and will take a few more months. Due to frail health, I can no more work for hours together.”
Abdul Majeed Shah - Making shawls for 40 years in Kashmir - Digpu
A closer view at one of the most costly shawls that Shah has worked on
While showing a few interesting shawls with intricate needlework, he adds, “Young people will not indulge in this profession because of the meagre earnings of Rs. 250-300 per day. They have aspirations which can never be realized with shawl making.”
“These products were exported to foreign countries and exporting traders would make frequent visits to my residence to persuade me for taking their orders,” he recalls the glorious past of his profession.
Abdul Majeed Shah - Making shawls for 40 years in Kashmir - Digpu
A closer view at one of the most costly shawls that Shah has worked on
“Manufacturers in other countries have tried to produce cashmere shawls and failed. It is not easy to spin Pashmina the way our women do,” he opines.
He rues the fact that manufacturers in Amritsar and Ludhiana (in Punjab) now import wool from foreign countries, spin it on machines and treat them with chemicals before passing off second-rate products as Pashmina.
Abdul Majeed Shah - Making shawls for 40 years in Kashmir - Digpu
Shah using the needle intricately while working on the shawl – Digpu
Typically, the products range from a few thousand to lakhs of rupees depending upon the material and intricacy of the needlework. Shawl making has shaped the life of Majeed and has enhanced his reputation as an artisan. He has also been awarded quite a few times by the local government for his stupendous work.
He, however, suggests that the State government should intervene and constitute a department which would not only regulate the market prices for these products but also help remove fake products by authorizing the authenticity of genuine products.
Abdul Majeed Shah - Making shawls for 40 years in Kashmir - Digpu
The worried look on Shah’s face while talking of the fake products being pumped into the market and passed as authentic products from Kashmir
Source: Digpu

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