Wood carving tradition stays alive in Swat

Published June 18, 2014
A youngster busy in work in upper Swat. — Dawn
A youngster busy in work in upper Swat. — Dawn

MINGORA: Upper parts of Swat district are famous for making furniture out of carved wood for hundreds of years, where trained labourers are seen busy to meet the demands of customers from both Pakistan and abroad.

Though there are so many places where traditional furniture is made, but two major towns -- Khwaza Khela and Manglawar -- are famous for the art, having so many small units to preserve the old tradition.

Fazal Mohammad, owner and skilled labourer, told Dawn that his family had been engaged with the profession for over a century. He said that he and his brothers learnt the skill from their father.

“There are dozens of skilled labourers in their factory,” he maintained.

Mr Mohammad said that they had been receiving demands for the traditional furniture from different parts of the country, particularly from Punjab province. “We also have orders from some foreign countries, particularly UK, Italy and Germany,” he said and added that people preferred to buy traditionally made furniture to machine-made material.

Omar Farooq, a student of class 10, said that he had been associated with the profession for last five years, adding that he loved the profession of wood carving. “I want to continue my education along with working as skilled labourer,” he said and added that there was a lot of potential in the wood carving field.

Mohammad Rahman, another artisan, said that they usually had demands for traditionally made furniture. “Though some people like furniture made by using latest machines, but still a large number of people love to buy the carved out furniture as it reflects the old tradition of district Swat,” he added.

Rafiullah, a buyer, said that he wanted to buy carved wood furniture for his home, adding that his family had been using the traditional furniture for so many years. “This type of furniture is durable and attractive,” he said and added that the government needed to take steps for promotion of the profession.

Published in Dawn, June 18th, 2014

Opinion

Editorial

Ultimate price
Updated 02 Nov, 2024

Ultimate price

To dismantle culture of impunity for crimes against journalists, state must ensure that perpetrators do not go unpunished.
Mastung bombing
02 Nov, 2024

Mastung bombing

INSTABILITY continues to haunt Balochistan, as Friday morning’s bombing in Mastung has shown. At least nine...
Plane speak
02 Nov, 2024

Plane speak

DESPITE all its efforts to facilitate PIA’s privatisation, it seems the government only ended up being taken for a...
Seeking investment
Updated 01 Nov, 2024

Seeking investment

Foreign visits will be fruitless unless crucial structural, policy reforms directly affecting investors are focused.
State-backed terror
01 Nov, 2024

State-backed terror

OVER the past year or so, India’s reportedly malign activities in foreign countries have increasingly come under the radar, with
Shared crisis
01 Nov, 2024

Shared crisis

WITH Lahore experiencing unprecedented levels of smog, the Punjab government has announced a series of “green...