Paper Mache Art in Srinagar, India

Partially decorated Paper Mache items are seen kept for drying at a workshop in Srinagar. Papier-Mache handicrafts, is an age-old craft that was introduced to the Kashmir valley by Mir Sayyid Ali Hamadani, who arrived from Persia with skilled craftsmen in the 14th century. Papier-Mache is a French word that means chewed paper and the process of making it involves two steps: Sakhtsazi and Naqashi. Sakhtasazi, the initial stage of preparation, includes the making of the figurine from the mixture of paper pulp with the help of rice straw and copper sulphate. In the final step of Naqashi, several coats of paint are applied and the figurine is decorated. However, this art form is vanishing with only a handful of artisans left practicing it.