Durries and Carpet Weaving - Bhadohi
Carpet is a spread of tangled yarns in the form of elegant design patterns which is used as a floor covering in order to protect and comfort people from adverse climate conditions. Carpet is also used for beautification of the places like in a room, a gallery, a ceremonial hall, a hotel or anywhere. Carpets are a sign of royalty, richness, and luxury which were even used in the courts and palaces of empires as a furnishing material and decoration purpose. History of carpet weaving is been mysterious because of its various forms and its presence in several places. India, Turkey, Tibet, Egypt, Tunisia, Morocco, Russia, Siberia, Pakistan, Afghanistan, China, Persian countries and their neighboring countries are the production centers of handmade carpets and dhurries.
India is been one of the best and major producer of carpets. It is been told that India is a maximum exporter of hand knotted or woven carpets. Carpet weaving was brought to India earlier at the time of Mughal invasion. After the visit to the Persian court, king Akbar of Mughal Empire in India got mesmerized and implemented the craft of carpet weaving to India by calling specialized weavers, artists from Iranian masters to set up the workshops in his two capitals Agra and Fatehpur Sikri to train local people in India the art of weaving. The carpet weaving grew from a praying mat to decorative floor covering of the court hall which implemented Persian style, traditional designs, motifs, and grace. Likewise, the weaving of carpet grew enormously in India and developed as the largest producer to the world with the best quality. The carpets made in India is known for its high quality and skillful orientation of knots.
Iranian master weavers traveled around and set up looms in various places like in Bhadohi in a village called Madhosingh, near Khamaria, Sant Ravidas Nagar and trained many people which now has turned into the biggest carpet manufacturing centers in India with 2.2 million people involved in knotted carpet weaving. The carpets produced here are famous for its quality and designs. The designs are trendy and upgraded according to the demands of the clients. Thus, the majority of the exported carpets are from Bhadohi. It also tagged under the geographical indication for its purity and quality production. Thus it is called as "Carpet City".
Bhadohi – Mirzapur in Uttar Pradesh, Agra belt in Uttar Pradesh, Jaipur – Bikaner belt in Rajasthan, Panipat belt in Haryana, Kashmir belt and Amritsar are major production centers of carpet weaving in India.
