Srinagar, May 8 -- I grew up hearing stories of our great-grandfathers, the Kalakars whose hands turned wood into poetry. Their carvings adorned homes across Srinagar, each piece a testament to patience and passion. Today, those stories feel like relics.

The workshops of Kashmir, once alive with the hum of chisels and the scent of cedar, are quiet. Our youth scroll through feeds while the tools of our ancestors gather dust. How did we drift so far from the Mazdoor's grit, the Karigar's ingenuity, and the Kalakar's fire?

The Mazdoor is the backbone of Kashmiri craft. Picture a man hauling timber through narrow alleys, his shoulders broad from years of labor. He doesn't just carry wood; he lays the foundation for artistry. Without his swe...