Carpet weaving and embodied pain: understanding the perception of Kashmiri carpet weavers towards health problems

Purpose This study explored the perception (tseth) of Kashmiri carpet weavers towards various health issues associated with carpet weaving occupation. It explored how cultural beliefs, socio-economic realities and work-related conditions shape their understanding of illness (doad), treatment choices and health behaviours. Design/methodology/approach A mixed-methods design was employed, combining 22 semi-structured interviews, 5 focus group discussions and participant observation over one year (2019–2020) in four blocks of the Ganderbal district of Kashmir. Purposive sampling was used to recruit participants from purposively selected weaving workshops. Qualitative data were thematically analysed using NVivo 12, while descriptive statistics summarised demographic and occupational characteristics. Findings The study found that carpet weavers experience callosities (hath), musculoskeletal disorders, hearing impairment, stress and fatigue (thakun). While some health problems were attributed to unsafe working conditions, poor ergonomics and low wages, others were perceived through cultural and spiritual frameworks, including beliefs in the evil eye, envy and supernatural causes. Such perceptions influenced treatment-seeking behaviour, with many normalising chronic pain as an inevitable part of weaving. Participants linked occupational stress not only to physical strain but also to poverty (gareebe), changes in weaving technology and economic pressures from machine-made carpets. I conclude that to improve their living conditions, they need to be sensitized to change their perception of health issues and promote a culture of health consciousness. Research limitations/implications The paper outlines several meaningful implications for research, practice and society. It highlights the urgent need for improved occupational health interventions, culturally sensitive awareness programs, and policy-level changes to address the unsafe working conditions and health misperceptions among Kashmiri carpet weavers. The paper explicitly bridges theory and practice as it offers valuable insights that can inform public health initiatives, labour welfare schemes and NGO engagement. The findings can also be integrated into teaching modules on informal labour, health education, medical anthropology, health sociology and cultural perceptions of illness. From a societal perspective, the study draws attention to the intersection of poverty, tradition and health beliefs, potentially influencing public attitudes and encouraging more inclusive and context-aware policy formulation. These implications offer a strong foundation for both future academic research and practical applications with strong community-level interventions. Practical implications As this study is the first of its kind on perception, focusing on carpet weavers in Kashmir, it provides a basis for further studies. Future research is needed to understand what inducements would encourage the wastas [masters/owners] of the carpet industry to provide weavers with essential safeguards such as assistance during occupational injuries and diseases, reasonable working hours, proper breaks, smoke-free workplaces and the right type of working equipment during the summer and winter seasons in Kashmir. Social implications There is an urgent need to take effective steps to improve the condition of weavers working in various households or industrial units in Kashmir to improve their condition and make an effective contribution to the economy of Kashmiri society. Originality/value This is the first study to focus specifically on the perception of illness among Kashmiri carpet weavers, integrating occupational health with cultural explanatory models. It highlights the need for interventions that address both physical hazards and culturally rooted health beliefs.