Skimp and save, if you must, if this winter you are headed to India. It's time to indulge yourself in one of the great pleasures of draping yourself in Kashmir’s most luxurious, high-value and prestigious shawls.
Down the centuries Kashmir has been the world’s most enduring production centres for the most exquisite pashmina shawls, the raw material for which is the soft hair/wool (Persian: Pashm) of the Trans-Himalayan goat (Capra hircus) which roams in the wilds of the Changthang region bordering Ladakh in India and the Tibetan Plateau. What makes these cashmere shawls such a treasure is that the production of each beautiful, hand-woven piece is a painstaking affair. And, that this ancient craft had fallen into the doldrums, thanks to the less time-consuming machine-made spin-offs flooding the market.
The long-haul process of handwoven and embroidered Kashmiri pashmina shawls begins from the time the wool is collected by nomadic Ladakhi Changpa herders at the onset of summer, then it is cleaned, the yarn is spun and then woven— all manually. The time taken to produce even a single piece can take anything from several months to even years together depending on the kind of shawl one chooses to possess.
The skilled weavers and embroiderers from generations have been at the heart of this amazing craft. Both the loom woven (kani) and sozni (needlework), highly labour-intensive techniques are unrivaled for their artisanal splendour and enduring beauty. Long renowned for its warmth, softness, the pashmina shawl inspired the paisley motif first developed by its artisans, which was to become an all-consuming rage with the western world.
Pashmina shawls are just too lightweight and delicate— they can only take the weight of hand embroidery. The trick is to have one done by a really skilled embroiderer using the finest of needles and fine thread. The pressure of machine embroidery is unthinkable for an authentic Kashmiri pashmina shawl.
One of the most cherished variants of the Kashmiri shawl is the kani shawl, renowned for its vibrant colours and intricate designs created on hand operated looms. The designs and patterns of the shawl require a special loom, a small, portable kani loom and kanis (small sticks); these follow a very specific code (Talim) to produce those intricate patterns that are distinctive to this shawl. The weaving of the main body of the shawl is done on a Taafta loom.
The kani shawl was in dire straits and at the point of becoming one of the lost treasures of India’s textile heritage. The culprit of course has been time, because it takes ages to make one and the weaver community who was skilled in this generational craft was on the verge of extinction. Only in recent years has the kani shawl witnessed a small revival in Kashmir’s Kanihama village.
If you have the patience, order one and wait in peace to own this precious piece of Kashmir’s cultural heritage as a symbol of prestige, luxury and wealth. Join the ranks of the likes of Mughal emperor Akbar, who was completely smitten by the jewel-like beauty and enduring charm of the kani shawl.
Woven from the ultra-fine wool of the endangered Tibetan antelope, the softest-of-soft shahtoosh shawl (the famous ‘ring shawl) was mired in controversy and is now a banned item. Once only worn by royals and the elite it is indeed a rare and highly valuable heirloom. However, you can still have your pick from a sumptuous collection of plain and embroidered pashmina shawls, which are available from many reputable stores across India.
Another favourite of Akbar, the regal sozni jamavar shawl, largely features beautiful all-over paisley or floral designs created by the most intricate tapestry-style needlework— which is an art form in itself. An elegant and utterly charming heirloom drape, this highly labour-intensive shawl should definitely find a place in your winter wardrobe. Other variants are the palladar shawl featuring embroidery just along the borders of the length of the shawl and dorredor shawl where the embroidery highlights just the four borders of the shawl.
An unmissable luxury for a bridal trousseau, is the glimmering beauty of elaborate Kashmiri tilla (zari) work on pashmina—a treasure beyond compare. Embroidered in threads of silver and gold these timeless creations could only be acquired by the monarch and the royal house — and a few of the more well-heeled court nobles. Today gold and silver leaf wires do the job to make it more affordable.
From stunning jamavars to gorgeous sozni shawls, these enviable works of art are an indelible reminder of Kashmiri artisanal culture and heritage. Treasured as beautiful heirloom pieces, you might consider, when it comes to the best quality Kashmiri pashmina shawls, how today they are also rated as a high-value investment as well.
It would be wonderful to consider also, how, by making this conscious luxury choice you would play a small role in helping to preserve this timeless heritage while supporting the local economy of the artisans.