Papier Mache is a handicraft of Kashmir which is now well known and appreciated all around the world.

There are two important aspects of Kashmiri papier mache - Sakhtsazi and Naqashi. The first step, Sakhtsazi involves making the foundation of the paper mache figurine or object with the paper pulp, while Naqashi is the final step of painting and decoration.

In the Sakhtsazi stage of making a Kashmiri papier mache item, the paper pulp is soaked in water for three or four days. It is then put in a stone mortar and ground so that all of the paper is uniform in its consistency. The pulp gets left in the sun to dry before being mixed with a kind of rice glue. A mould made of clay or wood allows the artist to shape the paper and glue mixture around it. The paper is taken off the mould before it is completely dry, and then shaped and lacquered to make the outside smooth.

During the Naqashi stage, a base coat of paint is applied. Then the artist makes their design by hand on the outside of the papier mache object, which means no Kashmiri papier mache item is the same!

Square Papier Mache Boxes