Weaving Mysticism: Srinagar Artist Breathes Visual Life into Lal Ded’s Ancient Poetry

SRINAGAR: In the world of Indian art, the imagery of a horse often evokes the aggressive, structural power of M.F. Husain’s famous Cubist-inspired canvases. However, in a quiet studio in Srinagar, artist Masood Hussain has reimagined this iconic motif, grounding it not in the urban sprawl of Mumbai, but in the soft, delicate fibers of Kashmiri Pashmina.

For years, Masood Hussain has been a visual chronicler of the Valley, his brush capturing the weight of conflict, the nuances of grief, and the rhythmic cycle of everyday Kashmiri life. Now, he has pivoted toward a more ethereal subject: the 14th-century Shaiva mystic, Lal Ded. In a painstaking process spanning two years, Hussain has translated the profound, four-line verses of the legendary poet—known as Lal Vakhs—directly onto twenty individual Pashmina shawls.

A Legacy Transformed

Lal Ded, or Lalleshwari, remains a towering figure in Kashmiri literary and spiritual history. Born into a Kashmiri Pandit family, her life was marked by a transformative departure from social norms. At the age of 26, she abandoned her domestic life to wander as an itinerant mystic, speaking in riddles that bridged the divide between communities; to Hindus, she was a yogini, and to Muslims, she was known as Lal Arifa. Her Vakhs (derived from the Sanskrit vaak, meaning “speech”) constitute some of the earliest recorded instances of the Kashmiri language.

“These are not merely shawls; they are a manifestation of the Vakhs,” Hussain explained at a recent exhibition in Srinagar. “I handpicked twenty specific verses, meditated on their meaning, and then allowed that vision to dictate the application of paint onto the wool.”

From Conflict to Syncretism

The transition toward mysticism marks a distinct shift in Hussain’s artistic trajectory. He credits this evolution to a formative collaboration with the late Irish poet Gabriel Rosenstock, who passed away this past April. Their previous work, which paired Rosenstock’s minimalist haikus with Hussain’s watercolors to honor Mahatma Gandhi’s 150th birth anniversary, ignited a curiosity within the artist to explore the deeper, syncretic layers of his own heritage.

“My work was previously preoccupied with the scars of conflict,” Hussain noted. “But working with Rosenstock shifted my gaze. I began to ask myself: Why not look at our own history—our Rishi culture and the Sufi traditions that define us? I wanted to give these ancient voices a visual form that they have lacked for centuries.”

The Medium as the Message

Hussain’s work acts as a bridge between historical oral tradition and tangible luxury. One piece features a “celestial horse” galloping across a constellation-stitched sky, a visual metaphor for the soul’s journey. Others delve into Lal Ded’s complex reflections on death, the passage of the spirit, and the unseen realities of human existence.

By choosing Pashmina—a material synonymous with Kashmiri craftsmanship—as his canvas, Hussain has effectively created a piece of “wearable philosophy.” He is not just reciting the Vakhs; he is wrapping the wearer in the centuries-old wisdom of a woman who walked barefoot and spoke in riddles. It is a striking intervention: taking the raw, earthy mysticism of 14th-century Kashmir and binding it to the refined, soft touch of the shawl, ensuring that the legacy of Lal Ded continues to be felt, quite literally, against the skin.

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