New Delhi: The recently concluded G20 Summit held in New Delhi on September 9, 2023, saw an exquisite display of artistry as 12 custom-woven Kashmiri carpets graced the main Summit Room of the Bharat Mandapam.
These remarkable carpets, a labor of love and craftsmanship, were meticulously designed and executed by Obeetee, India's oldest carpet weaving company. Spanning nearly 15 months, the process resulted in carpets with an astonishing complexity of nearly 74 million hand-crafted knots binding them together.
What makes these carpets truly special is the involvement of nearly 50 master craftsmen hailing from five remote villages outside Srinagar. Together, they worked diligently on 12 different looms, crafting what is now referred to as the "Magnum Opus."
The carpets are deeply rooted in the narrative of Kashmir's Flora and Fauna, with the medallion Ardebil serving as the artistic starting point. Arranged in a perfect circle, these 12 individual carpets adorned the main Summit room, where Prime Minister Modi conducted bilateral talks with world leaders such as US President Joe Biden, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Chinese Premier Li Qiang, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
Each carpet, crafted using luxurious Kashmiri silk, tells a unique story. These narratives were carefully designed at Obeetee’s design labs in Noida and Mirzapur. From the depiction of the tree of life to the enchanting tales of birds of paradise, the carpets pay homage to the rich flora and fauna of Kashmir.
Furthermore, they artfully capture the region's indigenous animals, immortality symbolized by Cypress trees, and many other facets of this culturally rich and picturesque region.