QASIM AND SONS - An Exporter of Kashmiri Handicrafts

Ganderpora, Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir

Soft to touch, and exceptionally graceful to wear, Kashmiri shawls convey the finest skills of Kashmiri artisans as well as display the sophisticated aesthetic of their wearer. It is said about the Kashmiri shawls that none excels in colour, design, beauty, hand embroideries, and texture as the famous Kashmiri shawls do.

Types of Kashmiri Shawls

The base fabric of Kashmiri shawls is of three types - Shahtoosh, Pashmina and Raffal.

• Shahtoosh is called the king of wool. It is often known by the name ring Shawl because it is so fine that it can pass through a ring. Shahtoosh wool comes from the Tibetan antelope Chiru, which is found over 14000 feet in the wilds of the Himalayas.
• Pashmina is another category of Kashmiri shawls, and their origin is Changthang, Ladakh. Pashmina shawls are made from Cashmere wool, which grows on the body of the Changthangi goat found in Ladakh. The goat is found over 14000 feet and is reared by nomadic herders of Ladakh.
• Raffal is the third category of Kashmiri shawls. It is spun out of Merino wool, and is the most popular in Kashmir, due to its warmth and cheap price.

Types of Hand Embroideries for Kashmiri Shawls

A number of hand embroideries are done on Kashmiri shawls depending upon the base fabric. Fine shawls like Pashmina are delicate, and hence lighter versions of embroideries are done on them. Sturdier bases like that of a merino wool shawl do host thicker forms of Kashmiri embroideries. Let us have a look at the embroidery types done in the valley.

SOZNI EMBROIDERY

Pashmina is handwoven and hence fine and delicate enough to tear if dealt with harshly. Hence the best-suited embroidery for these beauties is Sozni Kari. After the shawl is woven, a Naqash uses block prints to make the outline of the design, which are usually traditional designs. These designs have emerged from Persian-inspired Paisley which the Mughals introduced, floral patterns which bloom in the valley itself in Spring and summer, and many other designs. Embroidery artisans have the choice to select colour for a particular shawl. They have decades of experience and depending upon the base colour, they select a complementing shade, which is influenced by the fashion trends in vogue.

Sozni mostly uses cotton threads, but sometimes even silk is used. Fine needles are used to embroider motifs onto the gossamer base. The amount of embroidery to be done over the shawl decides the time in which it will be completed. Jaali shawls are less heavy, while tuki Jama is laden with embroidery motifs. Tuki Jama shawls take even years to get ready.

PAPIER MACHE EMBROIDERY

Papier Mache or Paper Mache embroidery is a form of embroidery which might be considered as a bolder variant of Sozni. It consists of breathtaking motifs which are worked in a bright coloured satin thread. Motifs are outlined in black to give a protruding effect.

Paper Mache uses thicker needle and thread for a more appealing visual effect.

TILLA EMBROIDERY

An embroidery which makes shawls relatively expensive is Tilla embroidery. This type is so popular in the valley that every bride should have at least one phiran (a garment worn by Kashmiri women) embroidered with tilla embroidery in her trousseau. Or else a shawl ornate with Tilla embroidered is expected by the onlookers.

Tilla originated from a village called Zari in Iran. But when Syed Ali Hamdani, a Sufi saint travelled to Kashmir with his artisans, he introduced the same in the local community. The then ruling Mughals were fascinated by its royal demeanour, and used this embroidery in their royal courts.

Kashmiri Embroidered Woolen Poncho. This elegant and beautifully embroidered Kashmiri woolen Poncho is a unique winter accessory that looks lovely and unusual. Kashmiri stoles and shawls are popular for their warmth, softness and appeal. The embroidery worked on some of them is a special to Kashmir. 'Sozni' or needlework is generally done in a panel along the sides of the shawl. Other unique types of needle embroidery include Papier Mache` work because of the design and the style in which it is executed and the 'Ari' or hook embroidery where floral motifs are finely worked in concentric rings of chain stitch.