Anjani Carpets

Out here in the village of Khamaria, things move at their own pace. Anjani Carpets is basically a large shed attached to a house where we keep the looms. You can hear the rhythmic thumping of the combs hitting the wool all through the day. The village is quiet otherwise, just the usual sounds of goats and the occasional tractor. We work with the wool that comes in big dusty bundles. It’s scratchy on the hands until you get used to it. The patterns are things we know by memory, passed down from the older folks who worked here before us. We sit on low wooden planks for hours, tying knots and following the lines of the design. It’s hard on the back and the eyes, especially when the light starts to fade in the evening. We don't have big city offices or anything like that. Our P.O. box at Khamaria is where the letters come, and most of our business is done by people who know where to find us in the village. When a carpet is finally finished and taken off the loom, we all gather around to look at it, even though we’ve seen hundreds before. It’s just a way of life here, blending work with the daily chores of the house and the village. We just keep weaving because that’s what we know how to do.