Persian Style Carpets of India|| Gwalior Carpets

Introduction:

World History of Carpets

Carpets origin is still considered mysterious but, surely, raddling forms of floor covering clothes are present since Neolithic age (Around 7000BC). We have numbers of different mysterious stories and clues for the evolution of carpets. One of the oldest and best-referring documentary is “The Little Brown Guide to Carpets” by Enza Milanesi. In this book, she gave two theories. In her first theory, she mentioned that “ It is believed that Carpets were invented by the nomadic people to protect them from the adverse climatic changes and maybe there was no direct contact with the ground but ultimately in last those highly knotted cloths started using for covering their ground and sometimes their huts too.

It is documented that “Persian style of carpet weaving started in Iran then Persia. In chines text, the shreds of evidence of Persian carpets, during the ruling period of Sassanid dynasty (224-641AD) and we considered it as the first and the oldest document evidence.

During the Islamic era, Persia became the centre of carpet producers and become the world-famous during 8th century A.D.

It is mentioned in some history texts that 600 carpets were sent to the courts of caliphs in Baghdad, every year along with taxes by the Azerbaijan province, Tabarestan, Khorassan, Sistan and Bukhara of Iran.

History of Carpets in India

The carpet art form was not originated in Indian tradition, It is a migrated form of art for India, came from Turkey and Persia by the Mughals in India. Due to settlement of Mughals and becoming ruling kingdom in India the local artisans started working for the Mughal emperors, started work on Mughal and Islamic art and architecture so from that period the carpet weaving practice became the part and parcel of Indian culture. Carpet weaving practice excellent example.

It is believed that the Mughal emperor Babar imported some carpets to India(1526-30). For introducing, spreading and surviving the carpet weaving art form in India.

Mughal emperor Babar(1526-30) imported carpet from Turkey and Persia to India. It dates back to the 16th century where Mughal established the art of carpet weaving continued to spread and survive in India.

In 1851 at the great London exhibition, For the first time in history, Indian handcrafted carpet achieved the appreciation for the quality, patterns, fine weaving work and rich colour combination. In the post-British era, carpet industries come back in its the flourishing period in different regions of India with the uniqueness and variation in carpets like designs, colour, quality, weaving method, clothes, etc.

In the post British period, the indigenous industry started flourishing in different parts of the country. Each region is engaged in making a different kind of carpet with variation in materials9silk, wool etc.), design, colour and quality. Based on the quality of wool used in the production the feel of carpets differ. The northern region of carpets is soft and shiny while southern region carpets are opaque and rough.

Gwalior Carpet Industry

It is believed that carpet weaving art form has been carried by the Mughals in Gwalior even it is believed that Mughals invited numbers of specialized Persian artisans to live in India for practising their art and spreading their art by giving training to Indian art workers which result in flourishing this carpet weaving craft in Gwalior. After the decline of Mughal rule in Gwalior, the artisan keeps work on the carpet weaving like other handicrafts.

In 1779 CE British took over Gwalior and established East India Company in Gwalior. Britishers liked this rich handcrafted carpet work of artisans so they made their business out of these handwoven crafts by establishing “The Oriental Carpet Manufacturing Company (OCM) in the early 1900s.

Process of Making Gwalior Carpets

Gwalior Carpets includes the floral motifs and other patterns inspired from nature. These floral motifs are as famous as geometric and rug designs.

The raw material required from other places are listed below

Wool (Sources: Bikaner and Amritsar)
Cotton (Source: Haryana)

Steps/Process of making Carpet

“'Punja' technique” uses for making Carpets

Sketching the design on paper
Vertical looms use for weaving
Tie thread into a meticulous knot (known as Persian Knot)
After completing weaving then dip them for 8-10 hours in water to make every knot settle
Washed and cleaned with chemical
Make surface equal by using a tool (Faavda)
Dyeing by synthetic colours.

Methodology: Secondary data collection

Export potential of Indian carpet:

Since 6thdecade the handwoven carpet industry has shown increasing growth.

Table: 1The decadal export performance of carpet of India in terms of value ( Rs. In crore) 1961-2012

(Source: Ministry of Textile, Government of India)

Years	Export (Rs. In Crore)
1961-62	4.42
1971-72	13.69
1981-82	157.66
1991-92	992
2001-2002	1642.26
2011-2012	3853.54

Table 2 Carpet Export from India in terms of Value (Rs. In crore) from the year 2000-01 to 2015-16

(Source: Ministry of Textile, Government of India)

*Years*	*Export of Carpet in terms of Value (Rs. In Crore)*
2000-01	3791.27
2001-02	1642.26
2002-03	1917.39
2003-04	3559.65
2004-05	2727.64
2005-06	3546.38
2006-07	6274.02
2007-08	3766.67
2008-09	3506.37
2009-10	7273.04
2010-11	4777.64
2011-12	3853.54
2013-14	7110.42
2014-15	8441.95)
2015-16	6641.23

The global share of Indian carpets

Handmade carpets is one of the important exporting craft of India. India ranks the first position in terms of value and volume of exports of handmade carpets in India. In “Carpet Council Magazine Feb.2012.pg.11” it is mentioned that ‘The current trend of handmade floor covering is estimated to around US$ 2.56 Billion.

65% of carpets are export from India and the remaining 35% from other countries to the world.(Source: Carpet Export Promotion Council)

Table 3 Export of Indian handmade carpet to different countries in the year 2012-13

(Source: Carpet Export Promotion Council)

Name of Country	2012-12
Name of Country	Rupees (in Crore)
Argentina	7.24
Australia	179.42
Austria	26.39
Belgium	72.07
Brazil	64.51
Canada	118.81
Denmark	56.53
Finland	13.96
Germany	656.76
Italy	83.99
Japan	70.12
Netherlands	96.65
Norway	28.46
Sweden	60.03
Switzerland	19.44
Total	1650.72

Challenges facing by the artisan and suggestion!

“Motamedzade (2007) worked on occupational health of carpet workers and the condition of workers in the carpet industry in Gwalior. On the basis of his survey, He mentioned that “The workplace has fungal species and yeast which may cause various type of diseases among the weavers. He suggested cleaning the workplace on a regular basis to control the fungal contamination at the workplace and it will help in reducing the fungal infection and diseases in workers which can help in increasing productivity in the industry.

Carpet weavers didn’t get the standard amount out of their labour work which is not sufficient for their family so these artisans and weavers go for some other work for earning more income. Even sometimes they get almost nothing for their labour work and this is resulting in the crisis of handweavers.

Best Places to get Handmade Carpets in Gwalior are listed below: