If a gorgeous Kashmiri shawl isn’t a part of your wardrobe, you are missing out!! The renowned Kashmiri Shawl are viewed as a symbol of grandeur and have startled both Indian and foreign academics and artwork enthusiasts. The vintage shawls have recently sparked a special interest amongst various levels of the society.

Due to its exquisite wool, skillful weaving and needlework, and gentle fabric, Kashmiri shawls are high in demand. Vintage shawls were a premium product all of which were bestowed through the centuries and often worn by nobility or aristocrats. Furthermore exported to England and France in the late nineteenth century, it is claimed that Napoleon Bonaparte presented his wives Kashmir shawls. The shawl business was founded in Kashmir under Sultan Zain-ul-Abideen. A skilled weaver from Turkestan was summoned by the Sultan to build a loom for manufacturing shawls. The business was restructured by the Mughals. Kashmiri shawls were donned by Akbar and his successors. Shawls gained prominence in France after Napoleon gifted Empress Josephine a magnificent Kashmiri shawl. Both France and Britain desired to design and recreate "Cashmere" shawls, however they preferred a technology more in accordance with European fashion. The pruning of the European shawls rendered them clumsier and less appealing. Women from Europe prioritized Kashmiri shawls with much more elaborate embroidery.

Shawls from Kashmir have been created ever since the 1st century AD. While historical textile remnants are pretty uncommon, fragments of Kashmir shawls from the third and the sixth centuries have now been discovered in Egypt and Syria. The Mughal emperors favored floral design in their fabrics, buildings, and artistry in the seventeenth century, resulting in a rise in recognition for floral prints as an ageless trend. The nineteenth century saw a rise in the prominence of paisley patterns (boteh), whose designs became even more intricate, elaborate, and surreal. Shawls from Kashmir are presented as wedding gifts. Classy and fashionable men also drape it over the shoulders. Numerous people, both men and women, are nourished by the Kashmiri shawl trade, particularly in the villages of Kashmir. Even the upcoming youth assist their parents in their embroidery endeavors. Although the textile industry necessitates a significant amount of simply sitting, people continue to work for a livelihood. 

The intricacies of the Kashmiri Shawl

The horizontal looms are used among Kashmiri weavers. The yarn is "doubled" by the women as they assemble the warps. The design is chosen by the artist, also termed as naqqash. The tarah-goru, sometimes known as the hue caller, analyzes the pattern from the bottom up and yells out every color in succession, as well as how many warp yarns the bobbin of the weft should pass though. The customary signs, also referred as the "shawl alphabet," are employed by a design master identified as the talim goru to transcribe these directions. The talim, or transcription, is maintained in view of the weavers as they weave at the looms. The plain pattern of a tapestry, an age-old textile method that involves the weft periodically traveling over and under one warp yarn at a time, is employed in numerous countries around the world nowadays. However, only within Kashmir—and to a lesser degree in Iran—did shawl weavers use a twill weave for tapestry, where the weft travels over and beneath two warp-threads at a time, with the warps' pairing shifting with each row of the weft. This modification was supposedly made to alleviate the strain on the fragile cashmere warp-threads. Twill-woven textiles have a characteristic, superfine diagonal rib that adds depth to the completed designs.

FAQS

Q1. Why is the Kashmir shawl important?

Shawls created in Kashmir are highly regarded not just for the superior quality of the wool used in their construction but also for the expert weaving and stitching that goes into their production. In the past, shawls were regarded as items of luxury; as a result, they were commonly worn by royalty or nobility, and they were regularly passed down from one generation to the next. During the 19th century, Kashmir shawls were also exported to England and France; according to one urban legend, Napoleon Bonaparte presented both of his wives with presents consisting of Kashmir shawls.

Q2. Why are Kashmiri shawls so popular?

Because of their intricate weaving and embroidery as well as the sumptuously plush feel of their wool, shawls from Kashmir are able to command a premium price. Antique shawls were items of luxury that were frequently worn by royalty or other members of the aristocracy and were handed down from one generation to the next. Currently, antique shawls are highly sought for by collectors. Collectors place a great premium on the acquisition of antique shawls. The shawl trade in Kashmir is largely responsible for the establishment of the cashmere industry across the world. This is especially true in Asia. This is due to the fact that Kashmir shawls have a reputation for being exceptionally warm despite their thin weight. This reputation is well-deserved.

Q3. What is special about the Kashmir shawl?

The Pashmina shawl, which is traditionally made in Kashmir, is widely considered to be one of the state's most desirable retail goods. The shawls include gorgeous needlework all over them, and they are quite plush and comfortable to wear. Sozni, papier-mache, and aari are the three primary forms of needlework that are often done on Pashmina shawls. Sozni is a type of needlework that is done in a panel that is attached to the sides of the shawl. The patterns that are used in sozni might be abstract designs or stylised paisleys and flowers. The application of papier-mache and stitching can either be done in large panels on either side along the width of a shawl's breadth or can cover the entirety of a shawl's surface. The flowers and leaves that make up the motifs all have a black border around them. The floral pattern is a common motif in aari embroidery, which is a type of needlework called hook embroidery.

Q4. How many types of Kashmiri shawls are there?

Kashmiri shawls can be found in a variety of designs, including the borders of a harshidaar shawl are embroidered with elaborate designs every two inches. The center of this shawl is devoid of needlework.

Neendoor shawls have embroidery around their borders, but the stitching is just three to four inches wide.

Doordaar - Like harshidaar and neemdoor, the only noticeable variation is the needlework, which measures between four and five inches.

The needlework on this shawl, known as a paladarr, is broad and features large designs on two of the shawl's sides but is much sparser in its length on the other two. The patterns on this Botidaar shawl are quite dispersed. The shawl's pattern might be uniformly repeated, or it can have a variety of designs.

Q5. How do you identify a Kashmiri shawl?

Verify how it seems. Original items will often have a flat, matte finish; however, there may be rare occasions where they have a tiny gloss. If it seems shiny, you might want to see how much it costs. To a certain extent, this is normal, but if there is a lot of it, you probably chose the wrong fabric. Be sure to inspect the weave. A genuine pashmina shawl is always made by hand using only the softest cashmere yarns. It will have an uneven weave because of this. If you hold the shawl up to the light, you can see all of the flaws in it. Check to see if anything has been stuck to it. If the material does not have a label or tag affixed to it, it must be fake. Real cashmere is too delicate to ever be able to hold any sort of adhesive. The adhesive will eventually peel off.

Q6. Who introduced the shawl in Kashmir?

The making of shawls is a traditional skill that stretches back centuries in Kashmir and is considered to be one of the region's oldest crafts. According to legend, Zayn-ul-Abidin, who ruled Kashmir back in the 15th century, was the one who introduced it to the area. This would have taken place in Kashmir. He sent an invitation to weavers based in Central Asia, asking them to come and find employment in Kashmir. Since that time, the ability has been handed down from one generation to the next while also undergoing ongoing development and improvement.

Q7. Which shawl is expensive?

The quality of Shahtoosh is widely acknowledged as the best that can be achieved by human hands in the textile industry. Even though each fiber is only around 7 to 10 micrometers in size, it is nevertheless regarded to be one-sixth of that of a human hair. This fabric is used to make luxurious shawls and scarves known as shahtoosh. A shawl like this is highly sought after across the world because of its versatility and comfort. There was a time when it was something everyone wanted. People have claimed to be physically dependent on its stunning attractiveness, which has been compared to "nothing else in the world."

Q8. Which city is famous for shawls?

The riches, wisdom, and goods of ancient India were disseminated throughout the world via Kashmir, which served as a crucial stop on the trade route. The renowned shawls made in Kashmir are some of the most well-known examples of woven textiles in the world. The floral design is typically composed of small or large flowers that have been delicately sprayed and combined; some shawls have net-like patterns with floral ensemble motifs embedded in them. The floral design appears in a heavy, close embroidery-like weave in dull silk or soft pashmina (Persian, meaning "woolen"), and it is typically woven in.

Q9. Why are shawls so popular?

Shawls are more substantial and can be worn as a form of protection against the icy wind. Lastly, the shawls are well-known for the texture designs they feature and the fine finish they have. Shawls can be worn for a variety of purposes, including keeping warm, as an enhancement to an outfit, and for symbolic reasons. One of the most common uses for shawls is as an accessory. Jewish males will frequently cover themselves in shawls known as tallit while participating in prayers and other religious activities. This particular variety of shawl is known as a tallit. The one who created it refers to it as "a supernatural shawl" because of the fact that it has the ability to keep Magda alive for three days and three evenings. This is because it has the capacity to keep Magda alive for a total of three days and three evenings if she consumes it.