Pashmina Shawl: Testimony of the Travelers

The grand display of draperies was already common in the Mughal courts. But it was travelers who gave it the current status. The making of Pashmina Shawl flourished under the patronage of the nobility. However, its reputation abroad too substantiated its importance all over India and the globe.

Sometime around 596-664 AD, the famous traveler Hiuen Tsang visited India. During this expedition, he wrote extensively on Indian costumes, mostly on the ones produced with goat hair. He spoke so richly of the shawl that the word spread like wildfire and gained momentum thereafter. Subsequently, during the fourteenth century, Ibn Batuta made his way to India from Arabia. For him, the Kashmir shawl served as a symbol of gift exchange. Especially between Emperor Shun of the Yuan dynasty and Mohammad Bin Tughlaq, the then Sultanate of Delhi. The Chinese ruler had sent across some expensive and embellished garments. But the Indian ruler sent cotton garments and a costume made of fine goat fleece. This sparked interest among others who came all the way to India in search of this ‘diamond fibre’.

The coveted gift

The next important visitor was Francois Bernier, who was also Aurangzeb’s physician. He came to Kashmir sometime in 1655 and wrote a detailed account of shawl manufacturing. He spoke of two types of wool. Firstly the one procured from Tibetan goats and secondly from goats in Kashmir. Bernier also added about the presence of over a thousand looms that produce fine, soft shawls - Kashmir’s prized possession. The mass production of shawls was prevalent, but it also indicated its popularity. In fact, some believe that the Mughals were so much in awe of it that they formed the khi’lat, the robe of honour, which would be a gift for the ambassadors or royal people.

Love of Pashmina Shawls: From the Mughals to other nobility

During a royal ceremony in 1831, Mughal presented a young man with at least four or five dresses of honour. These were Pashmina robes. Obviously, the shawls allured him by the beauty and sheer opulence that the news of its quality spread all across. Apart from Kashmir, there were also other centres, including Patna, Agra, and Lahore. But everyone considered Kashmir the hub, especially for its fine quality of Pashmina shawls.

Also read: The early history and literature of the Kashmiri Shawl

Forster's Love for Pashmina Shawls

In 1783, a French traveler, Forster came to India. He believed that the wool came from Tibet and artisans from Tibet wove it with rich patterns. The floral shawl was undoubtedly way steeper than the regular ones. He considered it an important export item; so much so that he spoke in detail about its packaging and how it felt like. Following this, towards the end of the 18^th century, artisans crafted Kashmir shawls in many sizes such as long, narrow, and square. Square shawls were more popular in the Indian market. Long and narrow shawls were mainly worn in the Northern Asiatic market.

Tales by Moorcroft

Moorcroft, one of the most popular travelers, came to India in the early 19th century. He spoke in detail about the shawl, both in Kashmir and Amritsar. He also observed that the red shawl yarn found in Amritsar came from Kashmir and this impressed him. However, Moorcroft was a little disappointed, since its export was banned to discourage the foreign manufacture of shawls. Moorcroft gives a full account of cleaning, spinning, dyeing, weaving as well as the techniques used. Note that this traveller well understood the labour that artisans give to create a single piece of Pashmina shawl.

Around the same time, even nobility from England and France visited the court of Maharaja Ranjeet Singh. There, they highly appreciated the Kashmir shawl. At this time, a British visitor, whom the courtsmen invited to the court, said the following:

“The floor was covered with rich shawl carpets and a gorgeous shawl canopy, embroidered with gold and precious stones and supported on golden pillars, covered three parts of the hall.”

In awe of the Pashmina

Sir Henry Fane, who was the British Commander-in-Chief, was completely besotted with the dresses and jewels. He found these in one of the camps he stayed at in Kashmir. The camp was furnished and had shawls all around. Madam Emily, sister of Governor-General Lord Auckland, wrote beautifully of the court: “It reduces European magnificence to a very low pitch.”

Later, when Kashmir was handed over to Gulab Singh of Jammu in 1846, embroidery flourished at this point. Woven and embroidered shawls were in particular doing the rounds and being marketed for both the European and the far-East market. As a result, the English and French weavers started to imitate these designs.

The Value of Antiquity

It becomes important to understand the glorious history of the Kashmir shawl through archaeological and literary evidence. It was since those days a highly-valued item. The rulers and travelers who spoke richly of this shawl have largely contributed to the development of shawl making as well.

Till today, it whispers secrets of its antiquity that the world is fascinated with! In today’s contemporary world, the Kashmir shawls are reputed for their timeless nature and the classiness they possess. With a rich tradition that spans centuries, this fascinating textile art has captured the minds and hearts of people across the world. These are mostly patrons, who have an interest in art and antiquity.

While its value may be high, it is also lost in the market of imitation shawls. Fake shawls are doing the rounds everywhere, more than the original ones. Due to lack of knowledge and sometimes the affordability aspect, many buyers get sucked into this trap without realizing it.

Also read: Kashmiri Shawls - All you need to know