D · RUGS NEW DELHI
Since most of the carpets from the collection are hand-knotted and made from top-quality pashmina wool, they still boast a distinct sheen. They have retained their vivid colours, as only the choicest dyes were used on them.“The colour red was derived from madder, a creeper found in certain parts of the world.
The blue came from indigo, a plant found originally in India, and then exported to the West and Persia,” says Chandra. Natural ingredients were used in place of processed dyes to create primary colours in those times, which were then mixed to derive secondary shades: crushed pomegranate seeds gave a red hue, walnuts emitted brown, saffron, marigolds, or the outer skin of pomegranates exuded yellow. Different hues could also be extracted from the same ingredient by varying the levels of mordant (a fixing agent), while preparing the dye.
Each of these antique carpets has its own distinctive pattern, with a meaning behind it. Two of the most popular designs found in this collection are the ‘Tree of Life’ and the ‘Garden of Paradise’. “The Tree of Life is a famous 16thcentury Persian design.
Interestingly, these two symbols have also been referred to in Quranic verses, old paintings, ancient Islamic scriptures, and religious texts. The Tree of
Life represents harmony between the three worlds; humanity on ground, birds that fly in the sky, and what lies beneath the earth. The Garden of Paradise also symbolizes the harmony between humans and nature,”says Chandra. One can spot various animals, and flowers – from roses to poppies, carnations to irises – and in some cases, even palaces and other structures. The flowers stand for love and humanity, while the lattice pattern that can be spotted in a few of the pieces, were inspired from architecture. “Some of the pieces in this collection feature marble jalis or screens spotted on Mughal-era monuments like the Taj Mahal or the Red Fort,” says Chandra.
Motifs of rams, peacocks, stars, and constellations add a measure of good luck, as does the evil-eye pattern. As a custom, many families gave carpets with symbols of rams – which is a sign of virility in some cultures – to their daughters as part of their trousseau.
Symbolism in carpet iconography can also betray the origin of the piece. Old Persian carpets tend to be named after the place where they were made or the weavers who created them. The Lavar Kermans in this collection take their name from a town called Lavar near the Kerman province in south-central Iran, known for its fine, woven, floral decorative rugs,