Kashmir’s papier-mâché maestro Altaf Hussain keeping tradition thriving for 50 years

Srinagar, Sep 25: In a modest workshop tucked away in the Lal Bazar locality of Srinagar, colour spills across wooden tables and shelves stacked with unfinished artefacts. Vases, bowls, and jewellery boxes—each layered with intricate patterns—catch the eye under the dim light. For Mirza Altaf Hussain Beigh, a master papier mâché artisan, this small space has been both workplace and sanctuary for the past fifty years.

Beigh has dedicated his life to an art form that has defined Kashmiri culture for centuries. “Papier mâché runs in my veins,” he says with a gentle smile, his hands stained with paint. “I have been doing this work for half a century, and even after all these years, I still try to bring something new in my designs.”

The art of papier mâché, locally known as kar-e-kalamdani, w