Basketry or Wickerwork
Weaving traditions of Kashmir
The craft of wickerwork is called kani kaem in Kashmir. Wicker refers to a process of weaving reeds or twigs of a certain plant into a wide variety of furniture and containers. In Kashmir, the withy/stems of the locally grown willow plant are typically used in this craft. While use of wicker in functional products for use in villages for daily household and farm work, cultivation of improved varieties of wicker gave rise to a craft industry that became popular in Kashmir only in the 20th century when large scale willow plantation was undertaken by the Forest Department. Oral legends, however, suggest that it was the Dogra ruler Maharaja Hari Singh (1925-47AD) who brought 12kgs of willow seeds and got wicker craftsmen from European lands to introduce high end wicker products.
As wickerwork developed into a major handicraft industry, wicker ware became crucial to everyday life in Kashmir. Items made out of wicker made their way into both Kashmiri domestic and public spheres. Within in the household, they were easily spotted in kitchens, in living rooms and in courtyards. In the public sphere, wicker objects were commonly found in shops and on the fields.
The wickerware is one of the most unique and distinguished collections to be found at the Meeras Mahal museum. The highlight of this collection is the wicker baskets that represent the range of wicker ware produced in Kashmir. Locally referred to as the <em>Zaen</em>, wicker baskets were once a common sight in every Kashmiri household. They were used to carry food items like bread, eggs, fruit and also hold crockery. Their utility spanned from every day to ceremonial use. From simple weaves to ornate, intricate designs; the Meeras Mahal is home to a wide variety of wicker baskets that are a true specimen of the artistry of Kashmiri basket makers or the Shaksaaz.
Domestic use baskets however, are not the only form of wicker ware to be found in Kashmir. Wicker ware has been particularly essential to life in rural Kashmir, where agriculture forms the backbone of the economy. The Meeras Mahal is home to a wide variety of wicker ware used in farming and related activities. These include large wicker baskets used for collecting crop yield (yaet), baskets that carry farm waste (daakar), another form of wicker basket used specifically for carrying vegetables (paej), and distinct varieties of wicker containers used for storing of vegetables and cereals (krenjul, longun) etc.
The quintessential Kashmiri firepot or the Kangri, made out of terracotta and encased in a wicker frame is also part of this collection. The museum features a rich curation of both utilitarian and ceremonial Kangris. In addition, artefacts like wicker animal cages (thup), balance scale (trekker), large wicker mats used for drying vegetables (tsar) and traditional rice sieves (shup) have also been preserved at the museum.
With this handicraft industry today struggling to survive, the unique collection of wicker ware at the Meeras Mahal museum offers a glimpse into the past, when hand-made wicker objects were indispensable to aspects of social and economic life in Kashmir.