THE CHINAR LEAF MOTIF OF KASHMIR: AN INSIGHT INTO ITS DEPICTION AND USAGE

The handicrafts, textiles and arts of Kashmir are famous all over the world. The shawls ad carpets are probably the most recognisable of all Indian textiles and have a high prestige value associated with them. The crafts of Kashmir have naturalistic motifs on them, which are further developed in their designs and aesthetics. The Chinar leaf motif is one such and possibly the most recognisable of all. It is native to the Kashmir valley and is not found on any other art form from other parts of the country. It is one of the traditional motifs and is profusely used on all handicrafts and textiles of this region. In fact, the presence of the chinar motif is one of the identification markof Kashmiri products. Today it is popular amongst the tourists and has a high souvenir value. This paper documents the usage, depiction and popularity of the Chinar leaf motif. It also seeks to examine its historical background, changes and development. To understand the deep importance this motif has, interviews were conducted with local artisans, craftsmen, merchants and dealers of various crafts. Visits were also made to the local cottage industries and studios of the workmen to study its reproduction and development. This work will help to throw light on this motif, as there are very few studies which focus on the Chinar leaf design. It is important that we document and study this motif, as it is indigenous to this area and also as the Chinar tree itself has a significant cultural and religious value.