Srinagar, Oct. 29 -- Inside a modest home in Batpora Kanihama, the rhythmic click of wooden looms once again fills the air - a sound that had all but vanished from the village a few years ago.

Manzoor Ahmad, 45, who had given up weaving Kani shawls for odd jobs after the market was flooded with cheaper machine-made Amritsari imitations, now oversees two looms running full-time in his home. Nine artisans work under his roof, reviving a centuries-old tradition that had nearly slipped away.

"I had lost hope. But now, the demand for Kani shawls is back. It feels like the old days again," Manzoor said, his eyes fixed on the intricate patterns taking shape on the loom.

The turnaround has begun recently after the Geographical Indication (GI) ...