Kashmiri paper
Koshur kagaz | |
| Type | Handmade paper |
|---|---|
| Material | Rags, hemp, sunn hemp |
| Place of origin | Kashmir |
| Introduced | 15th century |
| Manufacturer | Kashmiri people |
Kashmiri paper (Kashmiri: Koshur kagaz) is a handmade paper from Kashmir. Introduced in the 15th century, the paper was renowned for its white color, smooth texture and lack of imperfections, features uncommon before the paper machine.[1]
History
In the 15th century in the Kashmir Sultanate, Zayn al-Abidin the Great granted jagirs to Samarkand papermakers to establish a domestic paper industry. Other Northwestern South Asian papermakers, or kághazis, claimed lineage from Kashmiri papermaking for prestige, such as the kághazis of Sialkot. Kághazis were majority Muslims as rag-picking was taboo among Hindus. By the 19th century, kághazis across the Indian subcontinent struggled to compete against the rise of jail industry, imported paper and mechanization.[2][3][4]
Kashmiri paper saw some resurgence with the 20th century Swadeshi movement, but has largely remained a niche industry.[5][2]
Production
Kashmiri paper is a rag and hemp-based paper. Sunn hemp was sometimes favored over true hemp. Constituent fibers are beaten, retted in lye, then sun-bleached into pulp cakes. The cakes are dissolved into a slurry, screened with a deckle in two layers, then pasted on a wall to dry. The dried sheets are sized in a three-part process: first, the paper is abraded; second, rice flour is worked into the paper; and finally, the surface is burnished. The sizing process can be repeated multiple times for higher grade, glossier finishes.[1]
See also
References
- ^ a b Desvergnes, Amelie Couvrat. (2023). Nineteenth-century Kashmiri Paper: Victor Jacquemont's Account of an Unparalleled Craftsmanship. Comparative Oriental Manuscript Studies Bulletin, 9(1-2), 25–28. http://doi.org/10.25592/uhhfdm.14090
- ^ a b Lanzillo, Amanda; Kumar, Arun (12 April 2023), The Kághazis’ Story: How the Indian Papermaking Industry Evolved, Declined and Transformed, India: The Wire
- ^ Desvergnes, A.C., Helman-Ważny, A. Sialkoti paper used by Pahari artists: raw materials and fibre analysis. Herit Sci 12, 268 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40494-024-01360-9
- ^ Parray, M.Imran. “Divorcing Religion and Politics: Journalistic Field in Early Twentieth-Century Kashmir.” Media History, vol. 28, no. 2, May 2022, pp. 199–213. EBSCOhost, https://doi.org/10.1080/13688804.2021.1901564.
- ^ Kumar, Aparna. “Notes on a Fragment: Zarina’s Dividing Line.” Art History, vol. 47, no. 2, Apr. 2024, pp. 246–79. EBSCOhost, https://doi.org/10.1093/arthis/ulae015.