Kashmiri kani shawl weaver Shahnaz is threading the past with the future - Hindustan Times
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Kashmiri kani shawl weaver Shahnaz is threading the past with the future

ByAshiq Hussain, Srinagar
Oct 01, 2021 02:51 AM IST

Born to a family of weavers in the Kanihama area of Budgam district, which incidentally is the place of origin of the Kani shawl, Shahnaz started dabbling with threads and wooden needles at her father’s loom when she was still in primary school.

Weaving kani, one of the finest varieties of Kashmiri shawls, runs in Shahnaz’s blood, and she is taking the legacy forward by passing on the art to the younger generation.

Now in her 40s, Shahnaz also fondly known as Nazneen, runs a Kani Shawl production unit in the Lawaypora area of Srinagar. (Waseem Andrabi/HT )
Now in her 40s, Shahnaz also fondly known as Nazneen, runs a Kani Shawl production unit in the Lawaypora area of Srinagar. (Waseem Andrabi/HT )

Born to a family of weavers in the Kanihama area of Budgam district, which incidentally is the place of origin of the Kani shawl, Shahnaz started dabbling with threads and wooden needles at her father’s loom when she was still in primary school.

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Now in her 40s, Shahnaz also fondly known as Nazneen, runs a Kani Shawl production unit in the Lawaypora area of Srinagar.

“Around 80 artisans, including 30 women, work for us. I provide them material and piecewise wages. We had a lot more people before the coronavirus outbreak,” she says.

Kani shawls are woven on looms with the help of wooden needles (kanis) that are small eyeless bobbins, used instead of the shuttle.

Shahnaz started work on her own loom 12 years ago after her marriage. In fact, it was her idea to set up a loom and she convinced her husband, Tariq Ahmad, a trader, to learn the art and join the business.

Won national award in 2017

Their hard work paid off and in 2017 the couple won a national award for Kani shawl weaving, years after her father had won the prestigious award.

Unfortunately, Shahnaz, the eldest of seven siblings, could not study beyond Class 10 because of financial constraints. “I started weaving shawls straight out of school and helped with the finances. It was only after my younger siblings were married that I settled down,” she said.

Knowing the skill has made all the difference in her life. “Now, our livelihood and that of our workers is dependent on our weaving skills, and it is thanks to it that we are able to send our children to school,” she says.

Shahnaz credits her husband and father for being the wind beneath her wings. “I would be sitting idle at home had my father not taught me the skill and had my husband not cooperated with me. In fact, my husband encourages me to go attend exhibitions and meeting officials. Recently, we met Smriti Irani,” says the mother of two school-going children.

Training starts in October

Shahnaz will start training girls in shawl weaving in October under the Karkhandar scheme. “We will be training 10 girls for six months and will be renumerated by the government for the same,” she says.

However, she wants the government to reconsider their decision to impose GST on Kani Shawls.

“Now, firms are reluctant to purchase Kani Shawls due to 12% GST, which has hiked the prices of the shawl and dwindled the sales,” she added.

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