ehsaas - Live the Loom Life | Srinagar Edit

This note captures the essence of the curated journey that connected us with the history, craft, and traditions that define Kashmir’s textile identity.

It is addressed to all the beautiful friends of the brand who could experience this with us. This note intentionally comes late as it was meant to be an immersive experience and we hope you have had the time to absorb it in your own way. The curated itinerary was specifically designed as a capsule in view of the time constraints that you all may have had in your busy schedule. We endeavored to give you a slice of Kashmiriyat and its vibe not just limited to textiles that forms the raison d’etre of our existence but more & beyond.

We at Aadyam Handwoven truly believe in #CultureBeyondTextiles and firmly wish to communicate our textile sojourns in their totality. No aspect of culture is in its entirety without its cultural context. The 2 days therefore were designed around all that influences the textiles of the region.

To make the experience wholesome we started the welcome with the auspicious sprinkling of rose water (gulab jal) from a perfume flagon (itr-daan) and Oud smoke from a Dukhni marking the beginning of a celebration. The stay was intentionally reserved in a home stay (Dar-Es-Salaam) for you to experience the luxury of living in the beauty of Kashmir with its organic décor of Khatamband and luxurious carpets, vessels & retro architecture, a sight to behold with chinar in the gorgeous gardens and an almost private Nigeen lake.

The first stop was to experience the craft of Papier-Mâché, which like many other crafts in this region come from Iran. To imbibe its vocabulary and tools was an effort to imbibe the beauty of craft practice and the hospitality of the beautiful Kashmiris. The evening explored the leisurely recreation habit of the Kashmiri community to come together as a family on a Doonga boat for celebrating, singing, dancing & playing games. This accompanied with Sufi and Qawwali and Wazwan completed the cultural dialogue.

Day 2 began with a unique shikara ride into the life of vegetable and other vendors as they barter and shop for the day in the most exquisite floating market set against the dawn and sunrise over Dal Lake. The day continued with a walk in the old city with marvels such as Shahi Hamdaan, Paththar Masjid and old houses and lanes. This was followed by a relaxed lunch in the royal grandeur of the Lalit built in 1910. And finally to see the art of Pashmina weaving & Sozni embroidery. The Shaam-e-Muqammal was the grand finale to showcase the intrinsic art of Santoor playing along with a relaxed garden party with takht and masnad and aroma of flowers.

We loved creating this for you. With utmost gratitude to you, team Aadyam Handwoven & friends from Kashmir.

Penned by Manish Saksena

Ehsaas - Live the Loom Life, is not just an event but an evolving property by Aadyam Handwoven, designed to provide immersive experiences that go beyond textiles, offering a deeper understanding of India's rich craft cultures.