‘Like Music, paper mache must be introduced as a subject at the college, University levels'
Jahangeer Ganaie
Srinagar, Apr 28 (KNO): Winner of several State, National and International Awards Maqbool Jan, an artist from Srinagar's Lal Bazar area continues to take paper-mâché technique and watercolours to new heights and demands its introduction as subject education institutions.
Though there is no such school where the youth of Kashmir Valley are taught the art of paper-mâché, Jan has trained dozens of students so far who too have learnt the art now.
Maqbool Jan (58) from Mughal Mohalla in the Lal Bazar area of Srinagar said that he has been associated with this art since childhood as he had to learn this art very early due to the untimely death of his father.
“Our whole family is associated with this art and have been earning our livelihood very well besides that I have taught dozens of persons who too are taking art pieces on their own level,” he said.
Maqbool said he has participated in various exhibitions and has consistently received excellent responses for his craft. He said that his innovative and creative skills were rapidly recognized and he won several state awards.
He was awarded the prestigious UNESCO Seal of Excellence for handicrafts in 2007-2008 while he won a state award in 2013 and four National Awards.
“I want to see that our new generation should see their culture through art and we have to work to bring innovations in this art so that it gets more and more recognition at international stages,” he said.
“As music has been introduced as a subject in educational institutions but the government is yet to introduce paper mache as a subject in educational institutions so that we can have local trainers but in the absence of such things, we have to bring trainers from outside J&K,” Jan said.
There is no such school where the youth of Kashmir Valley are taught this season, he said, while demanding that a curriculum be prepared by institutions in the Kashmir Valley to promote this art form, he said.
“We need to respect these arts as Sufi saints introduced in Kashmir and have been passed on orally from one generation to the next and still there are dozens of artists who have been associated with this art,” he said.
