Ghulam Nabi Dar is not a trained artist nor does he have degrees from any well-reputed design college. He is an illiterate man yet he is one of the most celebrated artisans who makes walnut wood carvings that adorn the doors of Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir.
Among the last of a dying breed, Dar, has been practicing the art of wood carving for over 5 decades now. Kashmir and woodcraft are inseparable. It was in the 15th century that Sheikh Hamza Makhdoom introduced the art of wood carving to Kashmir under the reign of Zainul Abdideen. But Dar’s contribution to the dying art to keep it alive is commendable. Furthermore, he made the world know that India has such a rich woodcraft art.
This 70-year-old was expelled from school when he was barely ten years old because he couldn’t afford the tuition. To help support his family, he began carving wood items.
Ghulam Nabi Dar has been to many countries like Iraq, Germany and Thailand for his art. He also received state and national awards in 1994 and 1995, respectively, for his wood carving skills.
By and large, wood carving is a male-dominated occupation that can be seen in several locations of Srinagar.
The walnut wood, known locally as Doon kul, is preferred for carving because it is more robust and has a fine texture, particularly in the tree’s root.The decorations carved in wood in Ghulam Nabi Dar’s studio in Indian-controlled Kashmir are beautiful.
Dar has been creating exquisite handmade jewels for years, with motifs of deep carved flowers, roses, birds, animals, and humans on polished walnut wood.
Dar, a 70-year-old inhabitant of Srinagar is famous for his elaborate walnut patterns which are proof to his years of toil and hard work. Today, he stands as one of the region’s few remaining Ustaads (Masters). Wood carving is a male-dominated occupation that can be seen in several locations of Srinagar.
Dar and his brother, Abdul Majeed Dar, were forced to drop out of school in the late 1950s due to their inability to pay their school fees.
“We were stricken by poverty that we had to starve for many days”
Dar was ten years old at the time, and his brother was eight. “It had been a difficult journey with poverty and politics striking our beautiful valley and its people. We were in dire straits. There was no food or clothing. Even in extreme cold, we didn’t have any shoes or slippers,”says Dar.
Dar and his brother grew bored after finishing school, so their father decided to enrol them at Karkhaana, a wood carving workshop, so they could learn new talents and earn money.
Dar, on the other hand, found it difficult to acquire the art and its complexities in the time allotted to him. He spent more than two decades learning and practising.
Dar and his younger brother stopped studying and worked for local wood carving expert Abdul Razzaq Wangnoo for five years without learning much.
“There was no practical instruction.” We were simply polishing wood with sandpaper, which was not the true craft,” Dar explained.
In Kashmir, there are still various instances of finely carved buildings, shrines, and mausoleums. The Noor-ud-din-Wali shrine in Charar-e-Sharif, the Naqshband mosque, and the Nund Rishi shrine are just a few examples.
Dar chose to join another craftsman, Abdul Aziz Bhat, to learn more about the art and to improve his talents. Dar met craftspeople of all levels at Bhat’s residence and determined to master the skill.
“Many of the time’s most well-known craftsmen used to fill these orders, but they never displayed their work to anyone.” “These craftsmen’ final product was locked away in one of the workshop’s rooms,” Dar explained.
But his desire to master the art grew stronger, thus he began to copy the designs from finished products on a plank of raw wood at home.
He made sure that the door to the workshop where the artisans stored their work was kept open, and from here Dar made use of the opportunity to copy the designs onto paper.
“I used to stay up till midnight practising these patterns, and eventually I started to see the fruits of my labour,” he said.
Looking at Dar’s passion to learn the craft, Abdul Aziz Bhat decided to teach him the secrets of the art.
Dar also gives credit to his teacher Nooruddin who improved his skills and taught him the art through his drawings.
“I’ll never forget Nooruddin, master. He wanted to carry on the tradition. I am where I am now because of his efforts.” Says a proud Dar
In Kashmir, there are still various instances of finely carved buildings, shrines, and mausoleums. The Noor-ud-din-Wali shrine in Charar-e-Sharif, the Naqshband mosque, and the Nund Rishi shrine are just a few examples.
Fifty-nine years later, Dar is the most celebrated artisan in the region with a state and national award under his belt. Even today, Dar is totally passionate about the woodcraft as he was when he began five decades ago and he is still keeping the tradition alive.
“It has been worship. There is no denial about it. God had chosen me for this and till this point of time, I am doing it,” says a passionate Dar.
(Prof Gaurav Mandal is a recipient of two national awards)
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