Kashmir Called the paradise on earth has a old tradition in art and culture. Kashmir’s most famous handcrafted arts include silk and wool carpets, papier-mache products, pashminas, silverware, copperware, embroidered shawls, and wood. Kashmir valley is famous in world for art and crafts.
Historical References: Lalitaditya was the most illustrious ruler Kashmir. Kashmiri bronze sculpture attained an artistic peak during his rule. Avanti Varman was known for his special patronage of arts and literature. There is a clear reference to the preparation of woollen clothes at Pattan in Shankarvarman’s time.
King Harsha was well versed in many sciences and a lover of music and arts. He is credited with having introduced more elaborate fashions in costume (and therefore garment making) and ornaments (and therefore gem craft and jewellery). Zain-ul-Abidin was a great patron of the arts and crafts.
In order to extend quality in craft as well as to provide training, Abidin brought craftsmen from Iran and other regions of Central Asia to upgrade crafts in kashmir. He gave particular impetus to the manufacture of hand-made paper, shawls, embroidered tapestry, silk weaving and wood carving. From Akbar onwards, the Mughal emperors enhanced the natural beauty of Kashmir by building gardens and patronizing local crafts and craft workshops.
Maharaja Ranjit Singh, who overthrew the last Muslim ruler, is reported to have admired Kashmiri crafts, particularly carpets.
ART & CRAFTS OF JAMMU & KASHMIR
Handweaving is one of the earliest crafts in Jammu & Kashmir. Very fine cloth must have been produced in the Kashmir valley from a very early period of time. The Book of Hanuyan (3rd Century BCE) refers to Kashmiri fabrics as the best of the kind. During his visit to Kashmir, Hiuen Tsang, the Chinese traveller, found the people wearing clothes made of white wool.
Kashmir has three principal kinds of clothing (as narrated by Dr. SC Roy in his ‘Early History and Culture of Kashmir’) — Kauseya — various kinds of silk and linen, Ksuma — linen manufactured from flax and hemp, Kambala — implying woollen blankets and other kinds of cloth made from wool. Various kinds of woollen blankets and garments are also referred to in Kshmendra’s Narmamala and Samayamatirika, and in Kalhan’s Rajtarangini.
SHAWLS & WOOLLENS
Shawls were brought to Kashmir by Islamic weavers from Turkestan During The15th century. The techniques of shawl and carpet weaving were improved under Persian masters whom the third Mughal emperor Akbar brought to Kashmir. The Kashmir shawl is a specific type of shawl characterized by its Kashmiri weave, and is traditionally made from Shahtoosh or pashmina wool.
Other woollens of Kashmir is known for are lois, pattus, blankets and tweeds. The main production centres of woollen articles are Gurez, Bandipora, Lolab valley, Budgam, Pulwama, Tral, Shopian and Sopore in Kashmir Province and Kishtwar, Bhaderwah, Ramban, Ramnagar, Latti, Dudu-Basantgarh, Bani, Billawar, Poonch and Rajouri in Jammu Province.
Major types of Shawls of Kashmir:
Pashmina Shawl: The fleecy wool obtained from the Kel goat / Changthang goat is used for making Pashmina Shawls. They are very famous as ring shawls (from Shahtoosh) atlocal as well the international levels. This is because they are delicate and elegant, that they can easily pass from a ring, itself.
It is a high value and elegant shawl and has designs and motifs, equally embellished on both the sides. “Pashmina” is the Persian word meaning finest wool fibre that is used in shawls . It has got GI tag which made these shawls world famous.
Raffal shawl: Pure wool shawls from kashmiri and ladakhi Goats are called Raffal shawl which have different counts of wool – 40, 60, 80 etc., if the wool count increases so the price of these shawls also increases.
Kani shawl: It is a type of Kashmir wool shawl that emerged from the Kanihama area of Kashmir. It is one of the oldest and famous handicrafts of Kashmir. It has got GI tag. Sozani Embroidery used in these shawls requires patience and hard work to develop . A single shawl can take up to two to three years to complete due to its detailes hand work .
TWEED
Tweed is a pure wool product that gets its shape after going through eight steps of wool shearing to take various shapes. Products of Tweed wool are available as long winter coats, jackets, blazers, waistcoats, suits, trousers, caps; also wedding suits. Apart from providing good insulation during winters, it is also a flourishing form of art and craft in Kashmir valley.
