Decoding the Kashmiri kaleen

The Kashmiri kaleen (carpet) is renowned globally for its rich colouring and exceptional quality. They are exported to countries like the USA and European countries like Germany.

These hand-knotted pile carpets are made of asymmetrical knots, referred to as phour. These are crafted out of silk, wool, or a combination of both. 

Measurements first

The skill of weaving Kashmiri hand-knotted carpets has been handed down from generation to generation. Carpet production involves a series of activities that begins after the kaleen’s quality and size are determined. 

Design development is an important stage of production — it begins with conceptualising a design and the naqash (designer) creating the artwork, either manually on paper or by using computer-aided digital software. The carpet is developed along a framework that includes the hashiya (border), kunjvat (corner), and mattan (field or centre area of the rug). 

The borders are further identified and classified according to the area it was designed at, its width, the composition of elements, and the symmetry in the rug’s central area. Vertical borders are called saad hashiya and horizontal borders are called daul hashiya. 

The weaving skills of a Kashmiri kalbaf (carpet weaver) are an outcome of the refinement and growth of weaving traditions over centuries, practised in the region. The naqash incorporates flora and fauna in their designs, inspired by their environment and the beautiful landscape of Kashmir. 

Design categories

The Kashmiri carpets are categorised based on their motifs and the symmetry of composition. Dabdar (dabba means ‘box’ in Kashmiri) refers to designs developed in a boxed pattern. It has three variations — namely J K dabbi or ‘Taj Mahal’ with equal-sized boxes; hamadan with rectangular boxes; and ghoum (meaning lost) with a pattern of boxes in varying dimensions. Each box has flowers or trees depicted from the regional landscape.

The Khaswaun design is another category. It comprises an all-over composition of a non-repeating design composed of numerous elements. The dajidar refers to a composition of repeating motifs in fixed intervals on the mattan. Chand chauthai design has a circular motif of the chand (moon) at the centre while corners are created at the intersection of the horizontal and vertical borders called chauthai (quarters). The mihrab is a one-way arch pattern mostly prevalent in prayer rugs. This design may comprise more than one arch. 

The completed design drawing is coloured and coded digitally or manually and then translated into a notational cryptographic script called the taleem. Each unit in the script constitutes two symbols written together, one above the other — one symbol denotes colour, the other denotes number of knots. The taleem covers knot-by-knot and row-by-row weaving and colour instructions. This system is recognised as a ‘sophisticated technology of historical importance’ and considered a ‘remarkable Kashmiri innovation’, according to industry insiders.

Based on the taleem, the vasta (master artisan) is given specifications about raw materials needed, colouring requirements, and advance wages to commence weaving. He coordinates and supervises the multi-step warping process before the weaving and knotting begin. After completion, the kaleen undergoes a series of finishing processes before it reaches the customer. 

Kashmiri vs Persian 

Often comparisons are drawn between Kashmiri and Persian carpets. Some even mistake one for another. 

The Persian carpets use a variety of animal hair — from camels to goats and sheep. The coarsest Persian rug is 256 kpsi (knots per square inch) while the finest known is 6,400 kpsi. Historically, silk was used as a yarn for the finest weaves in Persia while pashmina was the choice in Kashmir. Currently, Kashmiri carpets are only made with silk yarn. 

Unlike the scripted design seen in Kashmiri carpets, traditional designs on carpets in Persia were woven without any prior drawing or plan. Many of the designs were passed down through memory or as carpet samples (vagireh). The samples included part of the central medallion and corner of the border, among other details for reference.

Persian carpets are woven using two kinds of knots. The Persian, also called sehna (asymmetrical knot), was used by artisans weaving out of homes or factories. The Turkish, called giordes (symmetrical knot), was used by tribes of Turkish origin and weavers of Khorasan, a region comprising parts of Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, and Iran.

Persian carpets are primarily woven in rectangular shapes. Kashmiri carpets are additionally made in round and square shapes.  

Quality over quantity 

The fineness of carpets is often indicated by kpsi or knot count. The knot count is denoted numerically as 20/20 PK (Persian knots) or 20x20 in Kashmir. Here, the first number refers to knots in an inch across the width, woven horizontally. The second number indicates knots in an inch along the length, woven vertically. 

Weaving a fine hand-knotted Kashmir silk carpet is a time-consuming process. Just weaving an 18x18 kpsi kaleen in a size of 2x3 ft would take a minimum of 36 days. This is when the weaver weaves an inch a day, and works for eight hours a day.

The production of hand-knotted carpets has remained unchanged since antiquity. They continue to be woven the same way. However, while it was formerly the domain of male weavers, it has seen an influx of women weavers in recent years. Ease of working at home and enabling financial support for families are reasons cited for this shift in trend, say insiders. 

Knot combinations

The prevailing quality combinations include silk on cotton, where the carpet has a cotton warp, silk pile (knot) and cotton weft. It is woven in 18x18 kpsi or 20x20 kpsi.

In the exquisite silk-on-silk variant, the carpet warp and the pile (knots) are made with silk but weft will be cotton. It is woven in 22x22 kpsi, 24x24 kpsi, and 30x30 kpsi.

An-all silk carpet takes the longest to weave and is the costliest variety. It is woven in qualities of above 30x30 kpsi and more.

In wool on cotton, the warp and weft were of cotton yarn, and pile (knots) of woollen yarn. This type is no longer produced.

Pricing for carpets is computed according to the carpet’s quality (knots and materials used), design and dimensions.

(The writer is the author of the book ‘Floor Coverings from Kashmir’, published by Niyogi Books)