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The origin of carpets can be found way back in 500 B.C in Neolithic age. In reign of Akbar, Jahangir, Shahjahan, Auranzeb and other emperors, carpets flourished in India. The Indian carpets are the most technically accomplished classical carpets and are renowned for their beautiful designs, elegance and attractive colors. The patterns varied from vines and floral patterns, animal and bird figures and geometric and calligraphic patterns.
The tradition of weaving carpets flourished in India during the Mughal era. and from Mughlas, the craft of weaving carpets spreads to different regions of India such as Mirzapur, Bhasdohi, Gopiganj and Agra in Uttar Pradesh, Amritsar in Punjab, Jaipur and Bikaner in Rajasthan, Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. The silk carpets are light, silky, glossy and are woven in multiples of shades. Indian carpets imitated both Persian technique and style: asymmetrical knots with fine knotting. The artisans also incorporated precious materials such as highest quality wool and silk from Kashmir, gold and silver threads, curvilinear style and designs of the floral and figural character. |
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Wollen and piles carpets are basic varities of carpets in India.
Woollen Carpets
The wool used in carpets varies from carpet to carpet. For medium quality products best grades of Indian wool are used while imported wool blended with Indian high-grade wool is used for superior quality carpets. For kashmiri carpets for eg: worsted yarn is used. For effective shining and quality the wool is washed with special chemicals to enhance its natural lustre. |
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“Kashmir” the valley of streams and lakes is also defined as paradise on earth. Carpet weaving in Kashmir dates back to the period of Hazrat Mir Syed Ali Hamadani, he was the famous sufi saint of Persia, who brought highly skilled artisans who laid base for cottage industries in Kashmir and were interested and responsible for shawl weaving, carpet weaving, woodcarving and many other handicrafts. Silk carpet weaving has kept the name of Kashmir high. Therefore, carpets of Kashmir are famous all over the world. Simply because of the beauty, finesse and designs Indian carpets are known world over. |
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The Namdah style of handicrafts is allied to the carpet weaving industry of Kashmir. The Namdah is a type of hand made felt, which is finer and embroidered with cotton thread that is round and oval in shape. Indian carpets are available in different sizes and varying lengths of pile.
Carpets are further available in different styles:
- The Mogul Style: Indian character began to develop the Indian carpet, rendering it less dependent on Persia and better suited to representing the taste and needs of the region. carpets is lac red, with its characteristic bluish reflections, obtained from an insect of the cochineal family known as lac and used in grounds; against this colour stand out designs coloured light yellow, mustard yellow, light led, pink, light blue, midnight blue, light green, emerald green, orange, black, and brown.
Another particularity of these carpets is the way colours are combined, for this is done without outlines, even when two different tones of the same tint are used side by side, such as red and pink or blue and light blue. The borders are characterized by a dark ground, rendered using a strong green-blue, suitable for making contrasts with the lac red of the field.
- Floral Carpets: Floral carpets are the most common type, and most are attributed to Lahore. In this type are the Indo-Isfahan carpets and certain rare examples with trees, which are often presented with flowering foliage.
- Portuguese Carpets: The so-called Portuguese carpets, discussed among the types of Persian carpets, are variously attributed to northern or southern Persia or to the Portuguese colony in Goa, India. Aside from the people in European dress that appear on these carpets, the Indian provenance hypothesis is supported by the particularly intense and brilliant colours.
- Figural Carpets: The subjects of figural carpets sometimes reproduce episodes from Indian epics but more often present hunting scenes. The figures are usually shown in movement
Some of common Indian carpets are as follows:
- Agra: A thick type of carpet woven by wool and cotton in blue, green and brown colors.
- Asam: Small prayer rug made of special white wool, which is used for worship and pray in India and Pakistan.
- Dilara: A type of poor quality cotton hand-made kilim, which is woven in Punjab.
- Darmi: It is an ancient type woven like a mat.
- Harami: Various types of large carpets, which are woven for mosques.
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Till now, Indian carpets maintained their high technical levels until 1860-1870. Agra is well known for its soft and shiny carpets and opaque carpets are fine examples from southern region. Almost all existing antique Indian carpets are held in major collections or museums; datable to the 16th to 17th centuries, they can be grouped into decorative types. Indian carpets are famous all over the world for their beauty, finesse and designs. The carpet weavers over the time have grown artistically. |
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