Namda Mats from Kashmir

(MATS/ WALL HANGINGS)

DESCRIPTION  

Namda, also known as Namdah or Numda, is a traditional piece of pressed wool used as a floor covering, often found in Kashmiri households. The process of making Namda involves felting wool or a combination of wool and cotton into a mat, which is then adorned with intricate chain stitch embroidery using woolen yarn. This beautiful craft has been a part of Kashmiri culture for centuries, contributing to the aesthetic and functional beauty of homes. Namda-making is a highly localized craft in Kashmir, with the entire process—felting, rolling, dyeing, and embroidery—taking place in the downtown areas of Sher-e-Khas, Srinagar and other regions of Kashmir. The tradition is deeply rooted in the culture of the region, and the finished Namdas are cherished not only for their practicality but also for their artistic beauty. They are used both as functional floor coverings and as wall hangings, making them a versatile and cherished part of Kashmiri craftsmanship.

HISTORY

Namda, a traditional felt rug, is an integral part of Kashmir’s cultural heritage and livelihood. The craft is believed to have originated in Central Asia around the first century A.D. and reached Kashmir during the Mughal period, when a craftsman named Nubi made an embroidered Namda for Emperor Akbar to protect his horse from the cold. The term Namda comes from the Sanskrit Namada, meaning “woolen stuff.” Before the 19th century plain Namda was mainly produced in Ladakh and were brought from Central Asia for embroidery in Kashmir. In 1420 it was during the time of Sultan Zainulabdin when the embroidered Namda industry flourished in Kashmir. For these rugs local wool was used. It was in 1850 that Las Khan from Kabul settled his first workshop in Srinagar. The craft later flourished in other parts of the city and the area was named Namdagari Muhalla. This craft is believed to have been developed in Central Asia around the first century A.D. ‘Namdas’ were imported in large numbers from Yarqand till the beginning of the 19th century. Central Asian ‘namdas’ were plain and unadorned. They were imported into Kashmîr and embroidered in the ‘jâlik-doozi’ style. They were then re-exported to the rest of the world. This trade was at its peak during the First World War.

In the beginning the number of ‘namdas’ made locally was small and their quality inferior. nitially, plain Namdas were imported—up to 200,000 annually until 1940—but by 1929 local artisans began producing them themselves. A full-fledged industry was established in 1938, and by 1941, Kashmir had become self-sufficient in Namda production. Traditional designs draw inspiration from Persian and Turkish carpets whose fabulous prices and artistic worth are of age-old repute, with colorful wool embroidery enhancing their appeal. Made from raw wool or cotton, Namdas are usually black or white, though some are dyed blue, green, red, or brown. Simple in process yet rich in artistry, Namdas continue to serve as floor coverings, mats, and mattresses. The process of Namda manufacturing is very simple. These are made up layer by layer on a large floor and often tassels of wool are added to make the rug more attractive.

METHOD OF PRODUCTION

The creation of a Namda begins with spreading unspun wool (or a wool-cotton blend) evenly over a mat. The wool is then lightly rolled and pressed underfoot to create felt, which binds the wool fibers together. The quality of the wool used is essential to producing authentic Namdas. The wool is sourced locally from the markets of Ganderbal and Sonmerg and Yusmerg. Wool outsourced from these areas is considered to be of best quality and is available at good prices.  For a Namda to be considered of high quality, it must be free from any impurities such as foreign fibers, dust, or waste particles. The wool used must be thoroughly cleaned and processed to ensure it is pure and suitable for felting. Once the wool has been felted into a sturdy mat, it is washed, milled, and dried, preparing it for the final stage: embroidery. The embroidery is done by hand using an Aari (tambour) needle, and the woolen yarn adds richness and texture to the design. Namda embroidery involves two main steps: first, tracing floral or animal patterns onto white or off-white wool-and-cotton rugs. In the second step, artisans outline the design with long “Tahrir” stitches, then fill it in with bright contrasting colors and finish the edges with decorative blanket stitches. The combination of the felted wool’s insulating properties and the decorative embroidery makes the Namda an excellent and inexpensive floor covering. In colder areas, it is also used as a mattress due to its warmth and softness. The thickness of the Namda and the ratio of wool to cotton are crucial factors that determine its quality and color. The thickness also contributes to the overall aesthetic, making the rug more visually appealing and functional. This process requires great expertise, as the layers must be evenly pressed and bonded together to form a solid fabric. The artisans’ techniques have been passed down through generations, ensuring the craft’s authenticity and longevity.  Namdas are generally of small size, with 6 ft. x 4ft. Being the most common size made and sold, which indicates that they are normally used for decoration rather than as floor covering. However, it is used as decorative pieces near beds and tables and the smaller size as door mats.

DESIGNS

The Namda rug is made in many shapes like rectangular, oval and the most exotic shape is circular with dashe (wool tassels). The carpets are embroidered heavily and some are kept light and sophisticated. The traditional floral patterns despite being pleasant have been in trend for a long time. The modern Namdas are a blend of cutworks and patch works and don’t have the old patterns or color schemes. Minimal designs and pastel shades are preferred by international customers as well as local consumers. The design evolution of the craft has resulted in many beautiful creations, with peacocks and birds lifting the mood. The base colors are shades of brown, yellow, fawn, green, blue etc. The rugs are generally worked all over. The most liked colors are red and white. The patterns are usually flora and fauna found in the surroundings. The practice was earlier done with the help of wooden blocks that had patterns carved in. The block was dipped in a mixture of charcoal powder and kerosene oil or white mud. Nowadays a tracing sheet is used which has designs drawn on them and small holes poked in for the ink to print on Namda. The patterned namda is the new design addition in Namda. In this felt strips are arranged in different design patterns which form the first layer and after this the layer of wool is spread which forms the back layer. After this the same process of rolling and milling is followed.The designs of namda depend on the shape and size, each piece is adorned with a different embroidery pattern. The contrasting colors of embroidery threads with dyed namdas create pieces that are one of a kind and loved by local as well as international customers. The addition of Dashe (tassels) is done for ordered namdas which is hard to attain in machine felted rugs. Namdas, being always in demand has seen a lot of design intervention which resulted in new color combinations that are minimalistic and also new motifs for embroidery.

Namda design names and patterns commonly used are- Pamposh-(lotus),  Chinar-(maple) , Paisley  Satburg (7 petaled), Rent maal (loop chain), Ghas (3 leafed grass), Naal (outline of flowers), Kuldaar (tree of life ), Czuberg (4 petaled), Jangildaar (forest),  Gurundaar

Due to the high demand in Namda many new design interventions have been done over the years. There are 3 types of namda available now: the basic rolled and embroidered Namda; the patterned Namda in which patterns are created during felting and small felt patches are arranged with wool and then rolled and felted to create a Namda with colorful, self-formed designs.

SOCIO-CULTURAL AND ECONOMIC SIGNIFICANCE

The art of Namda making is the peculiarity of Kashmir. Namda making was brought to Kashmir by the Sufi saint, Shah- e- Hamdan, who came with the generous mission of bringing livelihood to the local Kashmiris. They say, give a poor man a fish and you feed him for a day, teach him to fish and you feed him for a lifetime. After so many years Namda making continues to form the livelihood of a significant percentage of the people of Kashmir even to this day. Namda is not only sold locally but the trade was once the backbone of the economic sector of the craft industry of Kashmir. The craft was exported to many parts of the world. The craft flourished and was the source of income for many. The manufacture of Namdas, the Kashmir embroiderers find free scope for displaying artistic imagination and skill, which represents the scenic beauty and imagination of Kashmiri artists. The rug not only provides livelihood to the felt makers but also for the dyeing houses, embroidery workers and wool sellers associated with it. The perfect blend of 4 sectors from the historic times to present time and the way they work hand in hand to create a beautiful piece of art. The art of Namda making represents Kashmir at an international level and depicts the creativity and imagination of the region. Though the industry has existed for about 175 years, it was during the Second World War that it got its impetus. There was a setback between 1947 and 1953 on account of unhealthy competition among producers, which led to deterioration of quality.