Carpet weavers

Dark or light patterns Silk on wool weave Wool carpet
When man first invented hand looms; cloth and carpets appeared into our consciousness, and eventually became a part of our existence. Master weavers and the labor of many people; that they worked with for years, produced some outstanding weaves. As the centuries passed more vibrant and subtle colors; came to be incorporated into the tapestries and carpets, and the designs became more elaborate. The master craftsman who delivers an exquisitely beautiful wool carpet alive with color and imagination, is to be revered. He has brought down the knowledge learnt by generations of other master weavers; and wool yarn producers and dyers, have come together to produce some of the best carpets in the world today. These products become cherished family heirlooms and I have enjoyed in my life the comfort and durability, which the traditional wool carpets provide. From the husbanding and raising of sheep; to the elaborate dyes and processes, to come up with the right thread, for the waft and woof that will become the web, that forms the final product, is an art in itself. Then the slow monotonous pounding of the loom as legs and hands toil ceaselessly; as adept fingers replicate the age old pattern by hand and eye, as colors are matched and each row is carefully tapped in place. It takes a long time to build a large carpet; and the labor is intense as the pattern is slowly built, square inch upon square inch, till the final master piece is done in all its glory. We owe their beauty to the back breaking labor that takes a toll on eyes, bodies and hearts of young lives, and the dyers and sheep, who all gave all their best, in its creation.
Then we come upon other blends besides wool like the silk on wool mixture and here even more rapturous patterns can be woven. The contrast of color from the shine of the lustful silky threads; on the more compliant and sober wool colors, produces strange contrasts that mystify not only the eyes of the viewer, but also his heart and mind. It is easy to escape into the patterns and design; and try to find deeper meaning in these age old pieces of art. They have attracted such lust for possession over the centuries; and the master weaver must have learnt what the human wish is, and how to fulfill it through his works of magic. When one desires such a thing and then lies on i;t feeling its myriad patterns with your finger tips as the soft silk, and the warm wool make the perfect blend. The floor suddenly becomes a museum of the art; of this dark and light weaving, as the colors change, depending on what angle the light falls on them. When you look from certain perspectives certain colors become pronounced; like bright crimson reds on silk and almost neon greens and gold, appear strewn across your feet with an abandon, that the eyes get lost in. It is wonderful to lie down on; or to sit on  and meditate on these wonderful creations; as there is a peace, that is in the weave. This is woven in by the master craftsman and despite all the bitter and painstaking efforts of his young artists; they have still produced a thing of beauty, which will live on, even when they will be long gone and forgotten.
When I look at the play of dark and light in the silk carpets; it is as if I was seeing a marble and inlaid stonework, of rubies and emerald and other precious stones. It is as good as the pietra dura work on the Taj Mahal; or any other wonder of the world where marble is chiseled precisely, into intricate patterns. . It no longer looked like woven patterns with shiny silken threads in the light of the camera; but gave the appearance of polished and cut precious and semi-precious stones had been strewn across the oak floor. The light and dark patterns also show shadows and ghosts of the past; in ancient heroes who walked, or made love on similar rugs. One has to get down to the awe of a child; as it crawls on the carpet; exploring with her tiny fingers, the threads in the patterns. To appreciate the beauty one has to look on them anew, as in this moment of time; as they have been created, just for your pleasure. They do not sing about the magic carpet ride for nothing; as they are truly magic sailing ships, that can transport you to where you need to be and with whom you are destined to be, if you unchain your heart and just let it soar! We are all carpet weavers now’ weaving and improving our own reality’s weft and woof, on our personal magic carpet ride, to be; in this vast and great wonder of consciousness and love.

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About Rajiv Kapoor

Rajiv Kapoor was born in New Delhi. He was educated by the Jesuits at St Xavier’s, and graduated with Honors, from The University of Delhi. Rajiv Kapoor did his MBA in International Business from Penn State and is now settled in the US. He has traveled across most states of India, when he was working on modernization of Rice Mills, and understands their diverse culture and history. This book is a historical fiction, dedicated to his city of birth. His extensive research dives deep into a critical moment, in India’s long history, for his latest Historical Thriller “The Peacock Throne Wars”..

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