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BRIEF
HISTORY OF KASHMIR SHAWLS
While the origin of shawls in the world can be
traced back more than 700 years, it's not confirmed to say
when and where and by whom the first shawl was made. The
origins of shawl manufacture with the great figures of
Kashmiri history Saint Sayed Ali Hamdani, the noble King
Zain-Ul-Ahadin and introduction of pashmina in the market
by Mirza Haidar in early 14th Century. It was
Zain-Ul-Ahadin in mid 14th century who introduced the art
of weaving in the valley and patterns on the woven shawls,
the Embroidered shawl was the creation of a raffogar
called Alibaba, it's said Alibaba once noticed the
imprint of a fowl's feet left on a white sheet and he
proceeded to embroider the out line with colour
thread to beauty the effect, thus the shawls with
embroider was introduced. Silk thread is used for
embroidery. The Craftsman has to twist the raw silk as per
the requirement and size of needle hole, such is the intricacy
of fabric and embroider that it effect the
vision of the craftsman and some embroidered shawls takes
2 to 4 years time to complete. The first account comes
from the Mughals period. The king Akbari indicates
that by the 16th Century the Kashmir shawl Industry
was an old and well established one. His Majesty encourage
in every possible way, the manufacturer of shawls in
Kashmir. Fabrics Bernier describe in the late
17th Century, which leaves no doubts that he is referring
to the same pashmina shawls that become famous as Kashmir
(Cashmire) Shawls, It became a garment of high fashion,
the style being set by Empress Joscphine after she
received Kashmir shawls as gift from Napoleon. The
shawls became a habit to the wardrobe of every
fashionable women in Europe, particularly in France. The
Industry Flourished during this period. The Industry
suffered through the reign of afghan and then seikh
rule, a highly unskilled period of Kashmir history, during
this time all craft declined , but during Maharaja Ranbir
Singh time late 18th Century the trade picked up and then
with the exhibition of shawls in early 19th Century by
Major Stuart H. Godjrcy in European market helped to
create awareness for kashmiri shawls over again in the
world. |
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