Shawls

¤ Kashmiri Shawls

Shawl weaving flourished in Kashmir under the patronage of the Mughals. These are the shawls India is best known for though other kinds are made in states like Himachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Mizoram, Tripura, Assam, Manipur, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Gujarat.


¤ Pashmina

The sinfully warm and delectably fine pashmina shawl is made in Himachal and Kashmir. Greatly sought after by tourists, these expensive shawls are made from the fine hair of pashmina goats. Pashm is the wool of capra hircus, an Asian species of mountain goat. The fine fleece used to make these shawls is that which grows beneath the rough outer hair. Did you know that the finest hair comes from the underbelly and is shed with the onset of summer? The pashmina shawl usually comes in subtle shades of cream, beige, brown and grey, depending on the natural color of the fleece. They may be dyed to produce brighter colors or livened up with embroidery.


¤ Shahtoosh

The shahtoosh is even more delicate than the pashmina. It is so fine and soft that it passes through a ring quite easily. Wrapping oneself in a shahtoosh has to be one of the most warmly sensual experiences in the world. However, the making and sale of shatoosh shawls is now banned in India.


¤ Jamawar

The art of weaving jamawar or tapestry shawls rolled into India from Turkistan in the 15^th century. Having kept the Mughals in great comfort, these shawls came to be wrapped around European beauties back in the 18^th century. Woven in shades of cream, brown and grey interspersed with colored threads to form floral patterns, the best jamawars are now made in Basohli, Himachal Pradesh.


¤ Kullu Shawls

Kullu is famous for its vibrantly colored shawls with striking geometrical patterns. Though rather coarse in comparison with pashmina, Kullu shawls are an excellent buy as they look beautiful and come cheap.


¤ Dhabla

The people of Rajasthan and Gujarat weave the rough, thick dhabla in black, brown or off white with striped borders in black, red and ochre.