The legendary Paper Machie work, which is famous world-over, is on the brink of extinction as the new generation in Kashmir is not particularly interested in taking up the work of the Sufi Saints.
“The new generation is not ready to take up this legendary Paper Machie work forward. This art is our legacy. It needs patience and skill which the new generation lacks. They are not even ready to come forward and learn it from the people who have been associated with this work for decades,” Ghulam Hussain Mir, a profound Papier-Mâché artist, told Brighter Kashmir in an interview.
For the last 40 years, Mir has crafted scores of Paper Machie work for various national and international firms. “Paper Machie is a better art than other art. If you master Paper Machie then only one can earn a good amount of money out of this work. Paper Machie is not a child’s play,” Mir said.
Mir was inspired by his uncle and it was from him that Mir learned the art of Paper Machie. “I learned it from my uncle. My elder brother has been in the business for the last 60 years. My father was not interested in Paper Machie. I learned it from my uncle Ghulam Ahmad Mir,” he said.
He said that the government cannot help the people who are associated with the Paper Machie business. “The government only gives a fund of one lakh rupees while we need funds in crores. Yes, they do help us in setting up exhibitions around the country and in other countires,” Mir said.
He said that they also get orders in bulk which are then exported to various foreign countries.
The Paper Machie art came to Kashmir from Iran during the legendary Sufi Saint Shah-e-Hamdan’s visit to Kashmir in the 13th century.
It is believed that around 700 disciples accompanied Shah-e-Hamdan, who then settled into various parts of Jammu and Kashmir and brought with them skills which were then pick-up by the Kashmiris to earn their livelihood, Paper Machie being one amongst them.