Kashmiri handicrafts create a buzz in India’s trendiest city hubs

Valley entrepreneurs take ‘Brand Kashmir’ to nook and corner of country

  

Srinagar: In a bid to take ‘brand Kashmir’ to the nook and corner of India, Kashmiri entrepreneurs are making their presence in India’s busy city capital markets.

According to Department of Handicrafts, it’s nothing more than another one of Delhi’s haphazard urban village colonies, Kashmiri handicrafts is believed to be creating a buzz in Kashmiri handicrafts create a buzz in India’s trendiest city hubs, including Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, New Delhi, Kolkata and other small busy city markets.

The officials said that the every year, Kashmir’s creative community reaches out to the various city capitals and the Jammu and Kashmir government would do everything possible to help the local artisan community to trade the brand Kashmir to various cities.

Every year, soon after tourism season begins in Ladakh, a large number of Kashmiri entrepreneurs shift their businesses to Ladakh region. In every market in the region, showrooms are decorated with colorful and designed Kashmiri handicraft items.

With an aim to promote brand Kashmir, Kashmiri entrepreneurs are making their presence in the busy markets of Ladakh. Every year, soon after tourism season begins in Ladakh, a large number of Kashmiri entrepreneurs shift their businesses to Ladakh region. In every market in the region, showrooms are decorated with colorful and designed Kashmiri handicraft items.

Pleasant weather post harsh winter season usually attracts tourists from all corners of the world to Ladakh. This increases tourist rush in Ladakhi markets, which compels Kashmiri entrepreneurs too to move to this tourist destination.

“Every Season I shift my outlet to Ladakh in order to expand my business and earn a handsome amount,” says Khalid Amin, an entrepreneur from Srinagar. He believes that “Ladakhi markets are the best place to promote Kashmiri handicrafts.”

Kashmiri entrepreneurs sell various kinds of modem and traditional products of the valley. Besides selling some other products, most of the Kashmiri entrepreneurs sell the items that reflect culture of Kashmir. This helps them sell their products to foreign customers as well.

“Kashmiri handicrafts attract more tourists than other items sold in Ladakhi markets,” opines Inam Aziz, another Srinagar based entrepreneur at Ladakh.

Muneer Ahmad, who has been dealing with readymade business for the past eight years in Leh, says, Ladakh is a peaceful place that has a huge scope for every business. “I mostly deal with Chinese and Nepalese items, for most of my customers are from Nepal and other foreign places,” he adds.

In spite of cultural and geographical variations, Ladakhi entrepreneurs have always welcomed non-local entrepreneurs to add variety to their markets. Local entrepreneur Tsewang Rigzin, a Ladakhi cloth merchant, says, “We have absolutely no problem in having competition with non-local entrepreneurs. We focus on our own business and they focus on theirs.”  He further adds that non-local entrepreneurs have not only provided more choice to the customers, “but have also added to the beauty of Ladakhi markets.” Over a hundred Kashmiri traders are selling dry fruits in Ladakhi markets. Foreign tourists are believed to be fond of Kashmiri dry fruits. They usually purchase dry fruits in bulk and present them as a “special gift” to their families.

“Every tourist season, we sell several varieties of dry fruits because of their huge demand and earn a decent sum,” says Sheikh Saleem, a Kashmiri-based dry fruit shopkeeper.