Srinagar craftsman teaches son to make hand-carved Pashmina weaving shuttles
Abdul Majeed Zargar is training his son in the craft of making the Mukh to ensure the skill survives.
Abdul Majeed Zargar, a 75-year-old craftsman from Amda Kadal Jogiwan in Srinagar, is teaching his son how to make the hand-carved wooden shuttle used in Pashmina weaving. According to a Times of India report, Zargar is thought to be the final maker of these tools, known locally as the Mukh, in Kashmir.
The Mukh is a wooden instrument that carries threads across a loom to make the weaving process possible. Zargar has spent nearly five decades perfecting the craft after previously attempting silver-making and knife-making.
He has improved the traditional design by replacing iron components with brass to prevent rust and increase durability. A May 2025 report by Kashmir News Observer (KNO) stated that he has produced thousands of these shuttles for artisans across the region.
Zargar expressed concern that the occupation is disappearing because young people often prefer city jobs or computer-based work. He also noted a lack of institutional understanding regarding the importance of these tools.
Kashmir Pashmina has been a registered Geographical Indication (GI) product since September 12, 2008. Zargar is now focusing on his son to prevent the specialised skill from vanishing.