About Mughal Arts
Kashmiri paper mâché artisans from Srinagar, preserving a centuries-old handmade tradition through original designs, custom artwork, and collector-quality craftsmanship.
Mughal Arts is an artisan-led Kashmiri craft house based in Zadibal, Srinagar, the historic heart of paper mâché art in Kashmir. Led by master craftsman Nasir Hussain Mugloo, our workshop continues a family tradition carried through generations and formally established as Mughal Arts in 1980. Explore our handmade collections in the shop.
Our story
Our family traces its artistic roots to the cultural exchanges associated with Shah-e-Hamdan, when Persian artistic traditions found a lasting home in Kashmir. Over time, paper mâché became one of the crafts our family preserved and passed down from one generation to the next in the old quarters of Srinagar.
Because our family heritage is Mughal and our artistic language has long been shaped by Mughal floral and decorative traditions, we chose the name Mughal Arts to reflect both heritage and identity. For us, the name represents more than a business; it carries the memory of our ancestors and the responsibility to keep this art alive in its true handmade form. You can also read more through our journal.
Founded by Nasir Hussain Mugloo
Mughal Arts was officially launched in 1980 by Nasir Hussain Mugloo, the chief artisan and master craftsman of our family workshop in Zadibal, Srinagar. His work helped transform a generational family practice into a recognised craft house known for fine hand-painted paper mâché, original design work, and carefully finished decorative objects.
Over the years, Nasir Hussain Mugloo created large and memorable art pieces for important spaces in Kashmir, including Shahenshah Palace, where his tall vases and wall paintings became part of the hotel’s visual identity. He also built long-standing export relationships with buyers in Dubai and Bahrain, helping carry Kashmiri paper mâché beyond the valley to international collectors and interiors.
Recognition and legacy
In 1994, Nasir Hussain Mugloo received a Certificate of Excellence in Indian Handicrafts during an international presentation of Kashmiri paper mâché before European audiences. This recognition reflected the artistic value of his work and the wider heritage of Kashmiri craftsmanship.
That recognition affirmed what our family has always believed: authentic handmade craft carries cultural value that deserves to be protected, presented, and passed forward. Today, Mughal Arts continues that legacy by bringing our workshop directly to customers worldwide through our website and Etsy store.
What makes our work different
Every Mughal Arts piece is made using 100 percent handmade methods in an age when many producers have shifted toward automatic or semi-automatic shortcuts. We remain committed to preserving the original spirit of Kashmiri paper mâché through slow, careful craftsmanship that honours the traditional process from form-making to final painting and lacquer finish.
Our workshop creates original designs, custom artwork, and made-to-order pieces for customers who value authenticity and detail. We use archival-quality lacquer for protection and finish our work to a standard intended for gifting, collecting, and long-term display. Browse our collections of Jewelry Boxes, Vases, Trays, Wall Decor, and Gifts Under $30.
Crafted in Zadibal
Zadibal in Srinagar has long been regarded as one of the core centres of Kashmiri paper mâché, and it is here that our workshop continues to operate. Each item is shaped, prepared, painted, and finished by hand by skilled artisans who have grown up around this tradition.
Our motifs draw from Kashmir’s visual world and Mughal decorative heritage, including flowers, birds, chinar leaves, ornamental borders, and fine miniature-style detailing. Whether the piece is a jewelry box, tray, vase, lamp, wall art panel, or custom commission, we approach it with the same discipline and respect for the craft.
Fair work and honest craft
We believe that handmade art must also support the hands that make it. Mughal Arts is built on fair wages, respectful workshop practices, and a family-led approach that values artisans as bearers of knowledge and tradition.
When you order from us, you support a living artistic tradition and the local craft ecosystem of Srinagar. Your purchase helps preserve methods, skills, and cultural memory that are increasingly at risk as machine-assisted production grows. For customer help, you can visit our FAQ, Shipping & Returns, or Returns Policy.
Worldwide from Kashmir
We sell directly through our website and Etsy, allowing customers around the world to buy from our artisan workshop without losing the human connection behind the work. Because many pieces are handmade to order, our dispatch timelines are transparent and designed to allow proper making, painting, drying, finishing, and quality inspection before shipping.
Each piece is prepared for safe international delivery with care, and we work to ensure that customers receive authentic Kashmiri paper mâché that reflects the workmanship of our Srinagar studio. Collectors, gift buyers, and interior stylists can explore the full range in our online shop or contact us through your account area for order support.
Why we continue
We continue this work because Kashmiri paper mâché is not only a decorative art; it is a record of memory, patience, and inherited skill. In every handmade curve, brushstroke, and lacquered finish, we see the work of our forefathers and the responsibility of carrying it forward.
Mughal Arts exists to preserve that original form while sharing it with the world in a way that is honest, beautiful, and rooted in its true home of Srinagar, Kashmir. Every piece we send out is part of that story. You can also follow our latest updates on Instagram.
