Time warp: Indus Valley, silken weaves, and the Kashmiri floor covering

A mat with roots in the Indus Valley. A type of rug designed just for children. A new book traces how floor coverings in Kashmir have evolved over centuries.

The earliest woven mats in Kashmir were simple, but they’re still around, 5,500 years later.

Evidence of the golden-brown wagoo (made from reedmace or bulrush) has been found at Indus Valley sites such as Burzahom in present-day Srinagar district and Kanishkapura in present-day Baramulla. They likely served the same purpose they do now: something to keep out the cold, heat and dirt; to walk and sleep on; to gather around with the family.

Driven by the cold (temperatures here dip

The awwal naksh, a type of namdah or felt rug designed for children, usually features toys, fruit and numerals.

“Because of the coarseness of felt, the motifs on namdah, although identifiable, are depicted in a more stylised manner, while on the fine silk hand-knotted kaleen, the depictions are more realistic,” Pande says.

Embroidered blankets: The gabba — an embroidered floor covering fashioned out of old woollen blankets and designed for local use — is at the centre of two local legends.

One credits a poor tailor, Lasya Tota, with creating it, Pande writes. Tota is said to have stitched worn-out pieces of coloured old tweed together, as an inexpensive but warm floor covering, thus inventing a new style.

In the second origin tale, the gabba has its roots in a gift. Abdur Rahman, a refugee from Kabul, was so grateful to be given shelter that he crafted an intricate floor covering for his host, from an embroidered saddle cover.

However it was born, the craft has since expanded to involves techniques such as applique and ari (embroidery made in a continuous stitch, using a hooked needle). It flourished under the patronage of Maharaja Ranbir Singh (1856-85), who encouraged its use in state upholstery, such as in royal tents and palaces.

The Indus Valley pattern: Wagoo mats — the plain, golden-brown ones made from reedmace or bulrush — are typically woven by women, and once formed a bustling industry on their own.

A wagoo mat with fringe-like selvedge.

There was a time when one couldn’t go far without seeing a wagoo mat. They served as floor coverings in homes as well as on boats, which were once the primary mode of transport in Kashmir. They are still used on passenger doongas as well as cargo bahats, where they serve as thatched roof, roll-up partition screen and enclosures for seating areas.

The knowledge of how to weave a wagoo is passed down orally from mother to daughter or aunt to niece.

How far back does this mat go? Impressions of its weave have been found on pottery excavated at Indus Valley sites, Pande notes. “Even until about two decades ago, new ones were bought by most households, every year.”

The mat is now disappearing across Kashmir, replaced by blankets made from synthetic fibres such as acrylic and ethylene-vinyl acetate or EVA foam.

“Wagoo mats are perhaps one of the most sustainable floor coverings produced in Kashmir. They are completely organic and biodegradable. It’s a pity that when the world is gearing towards achieving sustainability, these are being replaced by non-sustainable alternatives.”