History, Climatic and Geographic Conditions
The history of civilization in the Indian subcontinent dates back to at least the third millennium BCE, contemporaneous with the famous civilizations of Egypt, Iran, Greece, and Mesopotamia. Art in India also has a long history and boasts great diversity and richness.
The earliest center of Indian civilization was concentrated around the upper reaches of the Indus Valley (in present-day Pakistan). Recently, another significant center of artistic civilization has been discovered in Kalibangan near the border of Pakistan (close to Karachi).
India, in its current form, is twice the size of Iran in terms of area and fourteen times its population, totaling over one billion people. Geographically, it is mostly warm and dry, except for the northern part which is mountainous.
Indian art is predominantly religious and has always served the various religions and beliefs existing in India from ancient times to the present. Due to the adherence to various caste systems in India, Indian art exhibits a great deal of diversity and richness.
History of Indian Carpets:
Unfortunately, precise information about the history of carpet weaving in India is lacking. However, from the early 16th century onwards, with the arrival of the Mughals, the documented history of Indian carpets begins.
Babur, originally from the Timurid dynasty settled in Herat, in 1525 CE, after conquering India, due to his keen interest in art, promoted Persian art in India. However, he did not achieve much success in carpet weaving. Although some sources mention that Babur brought some carpet weavers from Herat to India to engage in carpet weaving at his court, there is doubt whether the carpets of Babur's era were woven in Herat.
Five years after his death, his son, Humayun, ascended to the throne. However, due to a rebellion by one of the tribes, he sought refuge at the court of Shah Tahmasp for a while. During his stay in Iran, due to his interest in India, he began to study persian rugs. Upon his return from Iran, in addition to the silk and velvet carpets from Kashan and some other areas, he brought several carpet weavers and designers to India to promote this art. Therefore, it can be said that the history of carpet weaving in India dates back to the reign of Humayun.
Learn more: Everything you need to know about Kashan carpets
His son, Akbar the Great, also bestowed more importance and prestige upon the art of Indian carpets and, due to his interest, brought more patterns of Iranian carpets to India. He also continued to invite Iranian designers and artists. During his reign, carpets were woven in cities such as Lahore, Agra, and Fatehpur.
The quality of Indian carpets improved during this time, and some masterpieces from the era of Akbar the Great still remain. However, the influence of Iranian art on Indian carpets is still observable. Designers like Mir Sayyid Ali Tabrizi and Abdul Samad Shirazi, who were invited to India during the reign of Humayun, were more active during the reign of Akbar the Great. Jahangir, the son of Akbar the Great, continued this tradition in the 17th century, and the excellence of Indian carpets could be seen during his period, in addition to previous eras. An interesting point regarding the designs of Mughal Indian carpets is that most of their patterns were taken from the eastern regions of Iran, including motifs from Mashhad and Kashmir, and the designs of Herat. The process of localization began during the reign of Jahangir and altered some of the Iranian motifs.
Learn more: Everything you need to know about mashhad carpets
Shah Jahan continued his efforts to promote carpet weaving. During his reign (1628-1658 CE), Indian artists surpassed their Iranian masters and established carpet weaving in India, although the influence of Iranian carpet art remained. Among the famous carpets of this period, mention can be made of the "Mille Fleurs" carpets, examples of which can be found in the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.
The designs of these carpets include blossoms and flowers, many of which have been used in carpet and rug motifs, covered by a pair of cypresses woven on either side of the carpet.
During the Timurid period, in addition to woolen carpets, silk carpets also existed. The prominent colors of this period are mostly vivid green, deep lacquer red, reddish-brown, and orange. The designs of this period include prayer rug motifs, tree motifs, and garden motifs.
Agra, Ahmedabad, Amritsar, Andhra Pradesh, Kolkata, Kashmir, Lahore, Benares, Fatehpur, and Mirzapur were important centers of carpet weaving in India during the Timurid period. The knots of Indian carpets in that period were mostly symmetrical, and in some cases asymmetrical.
With the establishment of the East India Company in the 17th century in India, the possibility of introducing Indian products to other regions became available, including the introduction of Indian carpets to European princes. Thus, from the 13th century, Indian carpets gradually gained demand in Europe, becoming export-oriented by the 19th century. One of the major reasons for the popularity of carpet weaving during this period can be attributed to the use of Indian prisoners in Punjab for weaving, which reduced the overall cost of carpet production. From then on, carpet weaving in India transitioned from being exclusive to the court to becoming a general source of income.
After this period, Indian carpets faced a slight decline, but in the early 20th century, due to their export value and subsequent job creation, they attracted government investment and henceforth were produced on a large and commercial scale, heralding a resurgence of carpet weaving in India and Pakistan.
The Influence of Iranian and Islamic Culture on Indian Carpets:
As historical records suggest, the roots of carpet weaving in India are Iranian and Islamic. Therefore, in all aspects, especially in design, one can observe this influence. Recently, the use of Iranian patterns has become very common. These include Herati designs (fish in a diamond), hunting motifs, lattice and trellis, Sheikh Safi, Shah Abbasi, and the lion of eastern Khorasan. However, in this period, these patterns were used on a larger scale. In other words, the only difference is their larger scale compared to Iranian patterns. Garden motifs are also used in two forms: irregular and regular (geometric).
Among the influences of Islam on Indian carpets, one can mention the use of prayer rug designs, garden motifs inspired by the belief in paradise gardens, and the absence of human imagery. Additionally, most Indian carpet weavers were Muslims, and many of them migrated to Pakistan after independence.
Characteristics of Indian Carpets:
Raw Materials:
1- Wool: Annual wool production is at least 32,000 tons. Because cleaning and improving its quality is difficult, internal wool is used for grade 2 and 3 carpets, while wool is imported from New Zealand and Australia for grade 1 carpets. Thirty percent of the finest wool for Indian carpets is produced in Rajasthan, 8% in Uttar Pradesh, and the rest in Kashmir and other places. Since Indian wool is fatty and has short fibers, it is mixed with foreign wool, resulting in a finer and shinier wool.
2- Cotton: India is one of the largest cotton producers, so it does not need to import. The warp and weft of Indian carpets are cotton. Two types of yarn are used in Indian carpets:
- Handspun yarn which has a rough texture.
- Factory yarn, which is used in Indian carpets and has higher quality.
3- Silk: India exports silk cocoons and imports raw silk and silk yarn. After Iran, China, and Turkey, India is the fourth-largest producer of silk carpets.
Dyes:
Indian weavers are among the earliest users of plant-based dyes such as indigo. Indigo and madder have been part of India's exports since ancient times. Nowadays, they mostly use chemical dyes imported from Switzerland and other places. They also produce some of their own chemical dyes. They use a lot of green, blue, brown, and mustard yellow dyes. They also try to use mild colors.
Carpet Designs:
Due to the lack of authenticity, Indian carpet designs are mostly imitative. Iranian, Herati, and Turkmen designs are prevalent in Indian carpets. Sixty-five percent of Indian designs have Iranian roots, including Sarouk, Hamadan, Tabriz carpet, Kashan, Isfahan, Khorasan, and two designs, Mehrabi and Shikargah, which are common. Initially, they would imitate Iranian designs and name them after Iran, but after a few decades, they started using common names like Indian and Kashan, Indian and Kerman, etc., and recently in some places, they weave them under the name of Indian designs. They weave most of the Hereke and prayer rug designs from Turkey. Fifteen percent of Indian carpet designs are Chinese. Since they share the Buddhist tradition with the Chinese, they use Buddhist designs. Sometimes Moroccan designs are also seen in Indian carpets. Native Indian designs are derived from modified imitative designs and mostly use green color.
Carpet Weaving:
Most knots in Indian carpets are symmetrical, and in some cases, they are asymmetrical. They mostly weave at 26 knots per inch, although 10 to 15 percent are at 32 knots per inch, which are seen in fine carpets. These carpets are mostly high pile.
Types of Indian Carpets:
0- Durries (Dari), which have been woven from ancient times to the present day.
1- Dhurries, which are mostly woven in the Punjab region using inferior quality cotton.
0- Small prayer rugs called Asman, which are made of white wool.
4- Agra carpets, which are thick and made of wool, with colors mostly in shades of blue, green, and brown.
3- Allahabad carpets, which have long pile and are made of wool.
Indian Carpet Dimensions:
Famous dimensions include:
- 2.7x1.8 feet, 4.5x3.6 feet
- 1.8x1.9 feet, 2.1x1.2 feet
Primary Carpet Weaving Centers:
These centers include Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Agra, Jammu, and Kashmir. Eighty percent of Indian carpets are produced in Uttar Pradesh, of which 90% are exported, indicating a lack of domestic consumption. In 1981, Uttar Pradesh accounted for 74% of the total carpet production in India, with 6.5% at that time from Agra, 6.5% from Rajasthan, 6.5% from Jammu and Kashmir, and the remaining 8% from other regions.
Overall Position of Carpets in the Indian Economy:
A: The first sector of India's economy is agriculture, followed by the textile industry, especially handicrafts, with a large portion dedicated to fabric weaving, and the remaining percentage mainly in the carpet weaving sector. Employment and income generation for India's one billion population have engaged the planners. Carpet weaving is significant in this regard, so the government-affiliated Handicrafts and Handloom Corporation of India has taken over carpet production planning. As in the public sector, it completely oversees the carpet production process, and in the private sector, it supervises and supports. In India, labor laws apply to workshops with more than twenty employees, excluding home workshops. The wages of simple carpet weavers are less compared to workers in industrial workshops. Skilled artisans and artists, constituting about 20% of the workforce, earn more than them. Additionally, in the weaving of fine and intricate carpets, the base wage increases by up to 22%.
B: Cost Analysis in Indian Carpets:
Labor costs, 40%; raw materials, 52%
Other expenses, 5%. This indicates the affordability and abundance of human resources. India has cheaper labor compared to countries producing expensive carpets.
Carpet Weaving in India in Terms of Human Resources:
A: At least 70% of Indian carpet weavers are male. Although young girls have also joined this profession and constitute the rest of the workforce. In workshops, usually four to six weavers sit on the carpet loom, with one worker reading the pattern and the rest weaving. Their weaving technique involves raising the pile, and it is necessary to perform the finishing process after weaving. In most rural areas, carpet weaving is considered part-time work, but in cities, it is the main occupation. Interestingly, carpet weaving in India is a youth-oriented profession.
Carpet weaving in India is primarily rural and domestic, mostly taking place in remote villages. There are also a limited number of large collective workshops, often with more than 20 active carpet weavers. In these workshops, design, coloring, weaving, finishing, completion, washing, and packaging are done. Generally, 15% of carpet production in India takes place in these workshops.
Reasons for the Success of Indian Carpets:
1- Affordable labor costs, resulting in lower overall prices.
2- Providing facilities for the supply of raw materials and reducing or waiving customs duties on them.
3- Returning customs duties and trade profits to exporters.
4- Establishing a company for financing and developing national handloom industries, with the task of procuring and distributing the necessary yarn for industries and establishing spinning mills and producing chemical dyes.
5- Collaboration with handloom industries and organizing an annual exhibition by the government with interesting prizes and accolades.
6- Significant and special budget allocation for global advertising of Indian carpets.
7- Marketing textile products with innovative methods.
8- Considering the tastes and preferences of customers.
Weaknesses of Indian Carpets:
1- Indian carpet designs are imitative and not authentic.
2- The knot count of Indian carpets is low.
3- Difficulty in sourcing raw materials, including wool, and despite producing silk cocoons, they import silk yarn.
