In contrast to the bleak, snow encrusted winter-scape of Srinagar, the Valley’s Artisans’ Cottages come alive during the long cold months with the blossoming of a thousand flowers, as looms begin to weave Pashminas and woollen shawls while embroiderers fill them up with narcissus and hyacinth, iris and lotus, rose and tulip. Along with the uniquely Kashmiri motifs of chinar flowers and leaf, cypress, pomegranate and bunches of grape.
The weaving of the Pashmina and woollen shawls, which was brought to Kashmir by Badshah Zain-ul-abadeen in the 15th century and perfected in Mughal karkhanas, gradually came to be embroidered in sozni, ari, nought stitches, zalakadosi and rezkar.
The gossamer pashminas’ delicacy made it royalty’s favourite drape - from Noorjahan’s rose spattered shawls to Empress Josephine’s famous Cashmeres. Today the pashmina shawl is seen on fashion ramps and is a must for North Indian bridal trousseaus.
Kashmir’s Sunni Muslim artisans nurtured the craft of shawl making through centuries, passing on an evolving yet traditional vocabulary with a stylised Persian format. It endures even today though innovation in placement and a merging of traditional embroidery stitches and colours have brought a more contemporary look to the classic Kashmiri shawl.
Tanvir Ahmed, shawl maker from Srinagar, is both a traditionalist and a tweaker of tradition. “My forefathers have practiced the craft for generations”, says Tanvir, “and my whole family is involved in it. I learnt both weaving and embroidery from my father, a master artisan, and worked at it during the long winter vacations. I am involved with the whole process of shawl making right from travelling to high altitudes to remove fur from the underside of the chiru goat’s neck to making the yarn in a hand-operated charkha, followed by weaving the shawl on a horizontal loom.
“Pashmina shawls can only be woven from the fur of the chiru goat, which lives in temperatures of minus 20 to minus 25 degrees centigrade. When the weaving process is over, each Pashmina is dyed separately in colours derived from local flowers that includes lily, rose and nargis. The collection of flowers in spring and summer and the making of dyes is a time consuming craft in itself. Once dyed the shawl is dried and hand block-printed for the design imagery to be fixed. The embroidery is done with fine-tipped needles and follows the block printed design. It is done in fine single, silk thread. Once the ‘painting with needle’ is done the shawl is washed in the river’s running water, dried in the shade and ironed. The legendary Pashmina shawl is now ready”.
The exhibition presents an alluring sight. Stacked together are indgo blue, orange, red and pristine white shawls delicately embroidered with paisleys, scattering of roses, lotuses and irises or densely covered with sozni embroidery simulating woven zamdani patterns.
Deep blue pashminas sport elongated paisleys juxtaposed with fields of tulips. Classic black shawls have elegant paisley borders done in eight colours! A pink Pashmian has ‘kani ‘ work amris done in different colours and sizes. These are woven with tiny sticks as in carpet weaving. And there are Pashmina shawls in every colour of Nature along with an array of woollen shawls.
Sozna and Ari embroidery embellish the captivating collection. Among the scene stealers is a flower strewn black shawl which has the papier-mâché art in concept and look – a favourite innovation of Tanvir Ahmed’s.
The Pashmina and Woollen Shawl Exhibition also showcases stoles in Pasmina and silk wool combinations for Chennai’s mild winters.
It is on view at the Cottage Industries Emporium, Temple Towers, Anna Salai (near Nandanam) till December 31.
