Ahmedabad, June 25: Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently visited France and Slovakia. During this trip, he presented handcrafted gifts to Slovakia’s President, Peter Pellegrini. The gifts included Himroo silk ties, pocket squares, and brass Dokra antelope sets. Imran Qureshi, associated with Himroo art, stated that PM Modi has given global recognition to the historical Himroo craft of Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar.
Imran Qureshi, the operator of the Himroo factory, expressed pride in the advancements of Himroo art. He remarked, “It is a matter of pride for our country that Prime Minister Modi gifted Himroo to the President of Slovakia.”
He emphasized the significance of the Himroo weaving tradition as an important heritage of India. “Himroo is handcrafted and made entirely on handlooms, without any machinery or Jacquard machines. Two artisans collaborate to create a 2-meter shawl,” he explained.
Highlighting its uniqueness, he noted, “The fabric features ancient patterns, with hidden maps woven into the threads. Most designs are based on Persian motifs. My father incorporated 3-4 designs from Ajanta, including famous patterns like parrots, flowers, roses, bells, and Mughal-e-Azam, which was created by the late actor Dilip Kumar.”
He mentioned the challenges of the craft, stating that producing one meter of handwoven Himroo fabric takes 6-7 days due to the entirely manual process.
Imran Qureshi asserted that his technique is unique, claiming, “No one else in India or the world possesses this skill. If made by machine, it would be counterfeit.”
Regarding the history of Himroo, he explained that it originated from Khimkhap, which came from Persia. His ancestors, Muhammad Hussain and Muhammad Yaqub Qureshi, arrived in Delhi with Muhammad bin Tughlaq in the 14th century. Initially, Khimkhap was made for royal families using pure silk, satin, velvet, gold, and silver. Later, it was produced in cotton and silk for the general public, leading to its name ‘Himroo.’
The term Himroo is derived from Persian, meaning “like me,” referring to the imitation of Khimkhap. He mentioned that they still possess over 500 original Khimkhap patterns.
Imran Qureshi is dedicated to preserving this heritage through training programs. Advertisements in newspapers invite women to learn this unique weaving technique, ensuring that Himroo art is passed down to future generations.
He proudly stated that the authentic designs and weaving techniques of Himroo are unmatched anywhere else in the world.
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