SRINAGAR: In the quiet village of Sanderkoot in north Kashmir’s Bandipora district, the echoes of chisels shaping devere stone have fallen silent. A mining ban imposed in 2019 has disrupted the centuries-old tradition of stone carving, leaving hundreds of families without their primary source of livelihood and threatening an integral part of Kashmir’s cultural heritage.
Known locally as sang taraash, the stone carvers of Sanderkoot have relied on devere stone from nearby mountains for generations. Their work, which includes crafting curbstones, gravestones, and floor tiles, has earned the village a revered place in the region’s history. However, the ban has severed their access to the raw materials essential for their craft, bringing their lives to a standstill.
Shakeel Ahmad, who has been practising this craft since 2008, described the devastating impact. “For years, I supported my family with this work. After the ban, everything changed. The government tells us to find other jobs but offers no real alternatives. This is about survival,” he told Kashmir News Observer.
For Mushtaq Ahmad, another carver, the loss is more than economic. “This craft has been in our families for generations. It’s not just a job but a way of life. The government supports other art forms, so why not ours? We only ask for the means to continue working,” he said.
The families of the artisans bear the brunt of the fallout. Haleema Begum, the wife of a stone carver, shared the hardships faced by her family. “My husband’s income came from carving stones for homes and mosques. Now, we barely manage to afford basic necessities. We don’t want charity; we want to work,” she said.
Many carvers have been forced to seek alternative employment, often in unskilled labour, but these jobs offer neither stability nor adequate income. Bashir Ahmad, a carver turned labourer, lamented, “This art was our identity. Losing it feels like losing a part of who we are.”
The ban, implemented without consulting the local community, has drawn widespread criticism. Artisans from other districts, who also rely on local quarries, face similar struggles and demand a sustainable mining policy that balances heritage preservation with environmental concerns.
Officials have assured that the issue is under review. According to a government spokesperson, a committee led by Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary will assess the mining sites and propose recommendations for categorisation. “The final decision will be made based on the committee’s findings,” the official said.
In the meantime, the stone carvers of Sanderkoot cling to the hope that their craft, a symbol of their identity and resilience, will not be relegated to history. (With KNO Inputs)
