From Palace Floors to Private Living Rooms: The Changing Role of Carpets
In the decor industry, a handmade rug is one of the oldest accents. Little did the world know that a random designing activity to enhance the visuals of a Nomadic tent would not only end up being used in the Royal courts and palaces but also become such an important part of the world’s history. Calling a handmade rug a multi-purpose decor article would be wrong. Multi-dimensional would be the right adjective. It was the early 1300s when carpets were discovered. Since then, the timeless accent has been enhancing homes around the world.
After carpets were rolled out into the Turkish Empire, they became a valuable product, driving global trade. As designs evolved, artisans started to use the carpet canvas for storytelling. In fact, many of these rugs are kept in museums today, telling us about world history. In India, the art of weaving rugs was brought by the Mughal Emperor Akbar. A fanatic about art and architecture, he made Persian artisans train Indian craftsmen to hand-knot rugs. As these rugs debuted in the Royal palaces in India, the fine accent became a symbol of luxury. In the 1800s, when the British Raj took over the country, many rulers and kings gifted them these rugs out of respect. Basically, rugs evolved with time. Not in terms of design, but the weaving techniques, purposes, and usage.
While the initial words were just a backstory, let's discuss in detail the changing role of carpets. With such an aged accent and still developing, sometimes we feel that carpets are living beings just like us.
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Symbol- Carpets only became famous once they were used in the royal courts across the globe, especially in the Turkish and Mughal empires. Since then, each hand-knotted rug is a symbol of uniqueness. From floor to walls, everything in these palaces either had intricate architecture or a fine hand-knotted rug.
Even today, hand-knotted rugs are doing the same thing. In your very own living area, the moment you roll out a knotted piece, it's not just the space that lights up, it's your personality too.
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Gifting- Once carpets became a symbol of luxury, the accent became a finer gift. Not only does it make you look like a thoughtful person, but makes the other person feel that you actually care. Carpets as a gift were considered unique then. Many rulers greeted the British officials with carpets from their collection. You can try it yourself, even today, if you enter anywhere with a rug as a gift, you’d be much appreciated.
- Storytellers- Weaving real-life situations on the carpet canvas became a trend in the traditional days. Global trade not only valued pieces like these but also gave the identity of ‘storytellers’ to this timeless accent. While some weavers knotted live war scenes, others knotted their personal feelings. This actually gave carpets life. Imagine human emotions knotted in threads and just rolled out on your floor. The description itself makes this a priceless article.
To conclude, we’d like to say that carpets as a decorative element and the art of weaving carpets have come a long way. Something that literally adorned the homes and lives of the traditional royalty adds life to the homes of today. You may not have thought of this angle, but knot by knot, inch by inch, every hand-made rug unfurls a part of history. The role of carpets has not changed, but has evolved through time.
We at Obeetee have been crafting rugs for the world since 1920. Each rug from our house is hand-made by one of the 25000 weavers in our family. To experience the magic of carpets, visit any of our experience centers or our e-commerce platform, https://www.obeetee.in/
