Classic Tree Decoration
Size 5cm x 10cm
About the Makers
The story of the papier mâché group The family firm was founded in its present form in 1974, but a family tradition of skilled papier mâché worked goes back over three generations. The group had catered for the needs of tourists and locals alike with their beautiful hand painted classically designed boxes. This was the time when tourism was the backbone of local economy, offering trekking in the Himalayas and idyllic stays on the famous Kashmiri house boats on Lake Sri Nagar. In these conditions the firm flourished, the three brothers built and maintained a state of the art factory in Sri Nagar, with artisans travelling in to work from the surrounding rural area. They offered stable working conditions, with wages that guaranteed a regular income, to assist families trying to make a living out of subsistence farming in the hills. The firm continued to do well until 1987. This was the year when a disputed election created a state of political unrest that was the beginning of Kashmir's 'troubles', or as they call it 'The Militancy'. The government in Delhi declared a state of emergency and the army was sent to Kashmir to keep the peace. Things rapidly deteriorated and strict curfews were imposed. Tourism disappeared overnight. Mothers sent their children to school, not knowing if they would return alive. Business collapsed in this hostile environment. Factories and all places where people gathered became targets for bombs. The group's workers came to their employers for help and guidance in these dreadful times. It was not safe for them to work at the factory, but they had no other means of survival. It was then it was decided the factory would close and the artisans could work from home. Some difficult years followed, as the tourism orders dropped off and export became increasingly difficult with 'The Militancy' situation. The firm were determined to support their artisans, who were fully dependent on them and continued to pay them to make papier mâché goods. They did not have orders for these and stock piled them in Sri Nagar. Finally, the eldest brother had a lucky breakthrough when he sold a full container of the stock to a man in Paris. With the money from this sale, he was able to travel to the States where he had some more good luck. He toured the States trying to sell his traditional papier mâché boxes and one afternoon while visiting a zoo gift shop, he was struck by Christmas theme badges for sale there.
