The Khans had kept many of Qasba’s creations only for display for many years refusing to sell them even if a very good price was offered. Khan remembers a box which he calls a treasure and remembers that its design intricacies were such that it was visible only through a magnifying lenses.

“His detailing was excellent, impossible to copy.”

That box was of paper thickness, Qasba’s son Muzzafar says.

Khan, says they had preserved a few of Qasba’s creations but in an unfortunate fire incident their showroom along with Qasba’s creation was reduced to ashes.

Talking about the minutiae of Qasba’s art, Muzzafar says he had the talent of carving a bird even in half an inch of wood and with perfect detailing.

Qasba’s students describe him not only as an excellent artist but as an innovator too. They say he introduced different and innovative items which wood carvers had never imagined, items like wall hangings, fruit bowls, rose bushes and their numerous varieties, many of which cannot be explained, say his associates.

Qasba was also known for his exceptional ideation. Ahangar recalls a day when “we were out of work and some planks of wood were available”. Qasba told him to finish something soon so that they can fetch some quick money from the market. They decided to carve a lighter affordable artistic piece. Qasba started working, Ahanger finished up his two pieces, Qasba was working. Ahanger says Qasba was digging the wooden plank with his tools. Ahanger left for lunch, Qasba was still working, Ahanger came back, Qasba was there, working. In the evening Qasba was ready with beautifully carved Chinar tree which later won him a National Award.

He usually started his day by asking, “tell me what item should we make today?” He always was looking for opportunities to make something new and innovative, Qasba’s assistants say.

They remember, he never used to approach any businessman or dealer, all of them used to land up at his place. Qasba was the king of wood carving in Kashmir.

He has carved delicate wooden jewellery for ‘Suffering Moses’ one of the leading business houses of Kashmir and Qasba’s associates say that he actually used to earn a hefty amount in return, more than one could earn for the gold jewellery of similar designs.

Qasba has carved wonders from simple logs and planks of wood, he has won many awards also but his assistants, students and people who have an eye for art say he has never received what he deserved.

One of his creations which is somewhat known to a section of art lovers in Kashmir is an apple tree that Qasba carved from a left over log of wood in his back yard.  He had started working on this log of walnut wood when he had passed eighty years of his life.

It took him more than three years and about Rs 30,000, to complete the tree, Ahanger says. While the process of tree making was on, his health failed, he faced economic problems and many times decided to stop working on it.

Aga Ashraf, a noted educationist and an art lover knowing that Qasba was working on this master piece kept him motivated and helped him in whatever ways he could.

“To take up a challenge of transforming a simple log of wood, a trunk of walnut tree, into a beautiful apple tree is worth appreciation and speaks volumes about the talent and vision of that great soul,” says Ahanger.

Qasba first planned to carve a bush of rose out of the log of wood but while working on it his creative mind locked up the idea of carving a beautiful apple tree.

This apple tree was his childhood memory of an ‘extinct’ vareity of apple. “He wanted to preserve what is not seen today. It was a part of his memory and he perfectly carved it into a beautiful tree,” says Ahanger.

The 80-year-old passionate wood carver had ordered specially designed carving tools from bandookkhaar mohalla for carving his childhood memory in walnut wood.

The tree is about 3 to 3.5 feet tall, weighing about 30 kgs. The beauty starts right from its trunk, the design and intricacies may take eight to nine months for any skilled wood carver, says Aga Ashraf.

The master piece has perfectly carved leaves, fruit, branches which have birds in different postures placed on them. The details of branches, birds and leaves even inside the tree are vivid.

Aga Ashraf has kept Qasba’s apple tree at his own home and is making every possible attempt to preserve this “unique piece of art”. In several attempts of negotiations with the government and different business houses, even some international ones, he says he has faced only disappointment.

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