The famous Hazratbal dargah in Srinagar is attracting locals for a rare spectacle this week — the washing and clipping of the largest carpet woven in Kashmir by far. The intricate marvel is 72 ft. in length and 40 ft. in width, weighs 1,685 kg, and features over three crore knots.
The rare attempt pits Kashmiri artisans for the first time against their traditional Iranian rivals, who have already woven a carpet the size of a soccer field at 60,468 sq. ft. The dargah provides a safe and large enough space for clipping and washing the huge and valuable carpet, which has taken eight years to complete and is likely to embellish a palace in the Middle East.
“At least 30 people are required to unroll the carpet. It would take 30-35 professional washers to deal with the carpet on a daily basis,” Zahoor Ahmad Shah, owner of the Shah Qadir and Sons, told The Hindu.
