Every time a missile strikes Iran, tremors are felt thousands of miles away in Srinagar’s Badamwari carpet cluster.
For many artisans, the war has struck a personal chord—Kashmir’s famed carpets are named after cities across Iran.
“I am a master of Kashan carpets, named after an Iranian city. My family has been weaving Iranian designs for ages now. Kashmiri carpets are incomplete without them,” said 67-year-old Haider Magray from Srinagar’s Hawal.
India and Iran: Tied in tandem
Kashmir has been competing with Iranian carpets for centuries, replicating unique designs associated with cities like Kermanshah, Kashan, Tabriz, Khorasan, Isfahan, Hamadan, Ardabil, Mashhad, Qum and Shiraz. Many of these major cities holding major carpet centres have been affected by the Iran-U.S.-Israel hostilities. “It’s painful to see the names of Iranian cities we relate to through our craft being destroyed. We pray the war ends and their craft bazaars are again teeming with customers,” said Mr. Magray.
