Muhammad Yusuf Muran is a wood carving artisan from Kashmir. Muran is hearing and speech impaired. But that has not deterred him from following his passion. He has made a name for himself in this field, having been involved in it for over 40 years.

He is one of Kashmir’s last wood carving artisans.

Muran is a master of creating what he calls grand, luxury pieces. These used to find pride of place in palaces during the olden days. They involve intricate motifs of everything from flowers and fruits to dragons. Currently, these pieces can cost anywhere between 5 to 50 lakhs and above. It takes artisans several days or months to complete one piece.