Varanasi. Today, carpet which enhances the beauty of homes is not just a decorative item but has become a strong pillar of the economy of Purvanchal. Carpet industry is flourishing on a large scale in Bihar, Bengal, Rajasthan and Gwalior including Bhadohi, Mirzapur, Khamaria, Jaunpur of Uttar Pradesh. The carpets produced here are exported to many countries including America, Europe, Japan and the Middle East. At present India's carpet industry is worth about Rs 17 thousand crores.

More than 20 lakh people are directly and indirectly associated with the carpet industry, including weavers, artisans, designers and traders. This industry has emerged as a major source of employment in the Purvanchal region.

The history of carpet dates back to 300 BC

The history of carpet is said to be very ancient. According to experts, it is believed to have started around 300 BC. In cold countries, carpet has been used more to protect from cold. With time it has gained recognition as a luxury product, however in the modern era it is now available for all classes at affordable prices and in new designs.

India is the world's largest carpet producer

Hussain Jafar Hussaini, founder of Khushi Enterprises' Carpet Experience Center located in Chandpur Industrial Estate, Varanasi, says that India is today the largest carpet producing country in the world. The rich carpet heritage here is appreciated all over the world. He said that earlier carpet was considered only a luxury product, but now it is within the reach of common people.

How is the price of carpet decided?

The process of carpet manufacturing is extremely laborious. First the threads are dyed, then the pattern and material are given to the weaver. Weaving takes place on looms and the price of the carpet is decided on the basis of knots per square inch. According to Hussaini, if there are 50 knots in a square inch then the weaver gets a fixed wage, whereas on a carpet with 200 knots both the wages and the price are higher. It can take from a month to a year for a carpet to be ready.

Carpet craft came to India during the Mughal period

Carpet art in India is considered to have started from the Mughal period. The Mughal rulers brought with them skilled artisans from Persia and Central Asia. Later, generations of the same artisans carried forward this art in India, which continues as a living tradition even today.

India's special identity in modern designs

Hussaini explains that the biggest strength of Indian artisans is their flexibility in design. In countries like Iran, work is done only on traditional designs, whereas in India, artisans specialize in making modern, multi-color and custom designs. This is the reason why India has no strong competitor in the global market.

More than 50 percent of exports to America

More than 50 percent of the carpets made in India are exported to America. After this, Europe, Japan and Middle East are the major markets. The demand for Indian carpets is continuously increasing.

Carpet market reaches crores

According to Hussaini, there is definitely competition with machine made carpets, but despite this, there has been a continuous increase in India's carpet exports in the last six years. Where earlier the export figure was Rs 10 thousand crores, it has now increased to Rs 17 thousand crores. The industry has now become more centralized and organized.

Carpets are sent from Kashi to America

The tariffs imposed by America definitely had an impact, because it is India's biggest customer. However, Hussaini says that with time both the industry and the customers have adapted to the circumstances. Now there is no more worry about tariffs like before. (News input - Surendra Gupta, Varanasi)