Kashmir's blind quilt makers gain praise for their extraordinary skills

Muhammad Hussain Teli and Ghulam Nabi Teli. Pic/Basit Zargar Twitter

Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir): 45-year-old Ghulam Nabi Teli and 40-year-old Mohamad Hussian, two Kashmiri brothers, who are blind by birth, are garnering immense praise in Srinagar for their extraordinary talent of sewing fashionable and embroidered quilts.

The brothers earn their livelihood together by making trendy quilts, cushions, and mattresses for customers with the help of their father. They receive sizeable orders from a local quilt-dealer and are quite popular among locals.

The Teli brothers were trained at the National Institute for the Visually Handicapped in Dehradun, where they learned Braille and some home sciences. "We both work with our father. We went to Dehradun for training. We are happy that we earn with our hard work. Our parents were against begging. They taught us not to beg, but instead, earn a livelihood by doing some hard work," Mohamad Hussian said.

In their tiny shop, closer to home, the brothers sew mattress covers and fill cushion covers with cotton, and have emerged as an inspiration.

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