The Last Knot by Shabir Ahmad Mir [Hardcover]

In nineteenth-century Srinagar, a carpet-maker breaks from the rituals of his craft to pursue a transcendental dream – to weave a flying carpet that will deliver him from a life of subjugation. On this quest, he meets Abli Bab, a former maestro, who tells him of a fabled blue silk carpet, imbued with a mystical dye and marked by Solomon’s star. Lost to time, this legendary creation may hold the key to his freedom.

The runaway weaver, now disguised as a madman, seeks refuge in the company of a local dyer and his spirited daughter, Heemal. This serendipitous encounter leads him to uncover the secret to his dream. Under the shadow of the mythical Haer Parbat – and despite the dark prophecy that foretells his doom – the weaver begins crafting his masterpiece.

As the imperial forces close in, each warp and weft on the loom raises the stakes perilously high. When it is finally complete, will the carpet truly fly?

Steeped in Kashmiri folklore, The Last Knot is a spellbinding chronicle of defiance, love and the transformative power of art.