swat carving is an ancient art that goes back 2 000 years in modern-day pakistan it can take up to seven wood carvers and 25 days to complete a large piece a small mistake could ruin it all the unique gondara style features a blend of buddhist and greco-roman influences at one point this form of wood carving was a thriving industry in swat valley a region near the afghanistan border but many artisans including the mustan family fled after taliban forces took control of swat in 2007. now in its third location the shop continues to face challenges we visited the traditional workshop to see how it's still standing the mustan's workshop is called zarshal it sits in lahore about 300 miles away from their original home but they still keep many of the same traditions workers start by cutting the wood into smaller pieces they used both electric saws and hand saws a small mistake could ruin the planned design they sand the wood down and then they plane it making the surface smooth clean and flat next comes the most difficult part carving workers need to sharpen their tools until they can cut like razor blades some craftsmen don't have to plan out a design instead they work freehand without following a sketch it can take up to five years just to learn the basics okay you gave before the finishing touches shall sends the carp pieces to a shop in islamabad for painting workers assemble and finalize them here once they return they treat the wood with potassium this solution gives off a bright red hue when first applied the color will turn brown as it dries giving it an antique look then they apply furniture polish finally they coat each piece with a sealant before sending it off to customers a large item like this dining table can cost up to a hundred and fifty thousand pakistani rupees or eight hundred sixty dollars the intricate and tight patterns are what set swat carving apart from others [Music] originates from the buddhist civilization that spread through the region in the 3rd century bc swat valley the birthplace of this carving style was once a part of it to this day the buddhist influence is evident in swati carving's grid-like order which gives a sense of harmony and balance even as borders and cultures changed over hundreds of years the art survived abdul established his first shop in the kwazakela area of swat valley in 1996 after he retired from the pakistani army but the taliban occupied the region in 2007 and shut down many forms of arts and entertainment the shop started receiving threats abdul himself was a target as a retired soldier he was considered an enemy of the taliban the pakistani army drove out the taliban in 2009 but abdul still worries now that the extremist group has regained control of afghanistan still these aren't the only hurdles for the family raw materials are scarce and expensive and the pandemic has slowed down business forcing some shops to close abdul says most of his customers today are wealthy locals and fewer artisans are learning the trade because sales are scarce and the pay is so low abdul even discouraged his youngest son from joining the business like some workers in pakistan the employees at zarshall all live eat and work together at the shop [Music] that's why it's common for them to work long hours air conditions are risky too sawdust fills the air despite it all xiaodin plans on teaching the skill to people in the surrounding areas so that his love of the craft can continue [Music] foreign [Music] you
