Karakuli may soon become history

Donning famous 'Karakuli', which once used to be a status symbol in Kashmir, is now confined to some politicians and religious leaders only while the people associated with this business say the cap may soon become history. These caps made from the tender sheepskin are mostly worn in north western frontier province in Pakistan, but Kashmiri’s too started wearing Karakuli in the early seventies. However, with the passage of time Karakuli caps have almost vanished from the markets due to its high cost and also because many consider wearing it old-fashioned. Recalling the times, when this cap was popular in Valley, Abdul Gaffar, 70, says, “People of Kashmir have been wearing Karakuli since times unknown. It used to signify high status of a man in society. Those who wore this cap were called ‘khuja’."But, as the time passed it lost its charm and now this Karakuli is confined to some old age politicians and some religious leaders. "The youth has completely neglected it and I think it would not be in market after 10 years from now and will become a thing for museum,” he remarks.

People associated with this business seem to be losing their interest because of its limited market.They are giving up this business and looking for other alternatives.“In earlier times there used to be a great demand for these caps. People used to give us money in advance to make Karakuls of their choices. This businessused to be at its peak. But then its demand declined because of the high cost and unavailability of tender sheep skin. This cap has now lost its market and only few people wear it now. We have also lost our interest

in this business as we are unable to increase its sales,” says Zahoor Ahmad, a Karakuli seller. These Karakulis earlier cost anywhere from rupees 100 to 150 but now their prices have increased and have gone up as high as rupees 7,000 to 9,000, and nobody buys them. "We too have lost our interest in this business and most of the people have given up and do some other kind of business," says Ghulam Nabi, another karakul seller. However, most of the people believe that the main cause of its decline is the brutal way in which the Karakul cap is manufactured even as the animal right activists have protested its use among masses.

The best quality Karakul with short and tight curls is made from the skin of an unborn lamb killed in the womb along with mother for getting the raw material. "In this way countless baby sheep and their mothers are brutally killed. When people became aware about this, there was an abrupt decrease in its use,” says Mohammad Iqbal, a Karakul maker.“Now this cap besides a small number of elderly has been confined to Kashmir’s political families like Sheikh family and Molvi Farooq’s family, who too wear it only on special occasions”, he adds.