What is the origin of modern carpeting?

Carpet weaving was introduced with the beginning of the rule of the first Muslim conquerors in the 11th century, the Ghaznavi's and the Ghauri's, from the West.

The Mughal Dynasty began in the early 16th century, when Timur's final descendant, Babar, expanded his dominion from Kabul to India, establishing the Mughal Empire.

The weaving tradition of carpet in India was introduced by Akbar, in 1520 AD, when he brought some carpet weavers from Persia, at his palace in Agra. With the help of them, he laid the foundation of carpet weaving centers in Agra, Delhi, and Lahore to promote the production of Persian style carpets, which were inspired by the designs of Kashan, Kirman, Herat, and Isfahan.

Between 1520-30's Akbar trained the carpet weavers from Persia he brought with him. He brought the best carpet weavers from the most well-known carpet workshops of Persia, to train the prisoners, the art of weaving carpets. These prisoners took a lot of pride in their work and they eventually defeated their masters.

Initially, the carpets woven showed the classic Persian form of fine knotting. Gradually it merged with Indian art. Therefore, the production of the carpets became typical of Indian origin and eventually the industry began to modernize and spread all over the subcontinent.

During the Mughal period, the carpets made on the Indian subcontinent became so popular that it was highly demanded all over the world. These carpets had extraordinary designs and possessed a high thickness of knots.

Indian modern carpeting is popular for its exclusive designs with attention to detail and presentation of realistic features, especially in Shah Jahan's period. The carpet industries expand more in the northern part of India with major centers found in Kashmir, Jaipur, Agra, and Bhadohi.

Today, the largest producers and exporters of homemade carpets are from India. They have completely adopted the style of modern carpeting in India. Around 80%-90% of carpets produced in India are exported all over the world. It’s known all over the world for its excellent design, fascinating colors, and quality.

Carpets of Agra

Babur developed the city of Agra. Mughal affection for the fine arts and culture of Persia helped to establish Persian culture in India.

While some contemporary carpeting was done in India's rural areas, it was during the time of the great Mughal Emperor Akbar (1556-1605) that the art was introduced to the country. Persian carpet weaving was at a peak during this era under Shah Tahmasp and Shah Abbas of the Safavid Dynasty. Artisans of India were capable of weaving lightweight textiles with fine wool, silk, and cotton, but not pile carpets.

Agra is most commonly recognized as the home to the Taj Mahal. Not many people know that Agra has also been a large center for carpet weaving since the 16th century. When Agra became the capital in 1566, Agra also established its presence as a carpet weaving center.

Agra is well-known for its natural vegetable dyes. Since Agra was the base of Akbar’s empire, the artists were first established here.

Agra rug designs emphasize beauty and simplicity surrounded by bold floral borders.

Turkmen and Abussan varieties are also very popular. They are known for realistic bold patterns. The characteristic of the carpets from Bhadohi of Uttar Pradesh is their designs. These also include various hints of the Taj Mahal in natural colors.

The color is very important to the production of a decent carpet, as it affects both the color and condition. A rough color can make the pile dry and brittle.