Kashmiri products fascinate Global Village visitors
With so much to offer, the Kashmiri outlets selling Pashmina shawls, woolens, walnut furniture and carpets are a collector’s delight in the India pavilion at the Global Village.
The Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry has over 27 stalls covering an area of 200sq mts in the India Pavilion at the Global Village, a member of Tatweer. Kashmir constitutes the northern most extremity of India and is a delightful mix of zones such as semi mountain plains, mountain ranges, high mountains, Kashmir valley and the middle run of the Indus River. The state is blessed with abundant natural resources, and a culture and heritage that is truly princely.
Be it the shawls from Kashmir or the walnut special furniture fit for a king, products from this northern state come with that special touch of class. For instance, the Pashmina shawl from Kashmir is world famous for its rich tapestry of colours and skilful mastery of weaves. The art of making Pashmina is said to be well over 3,000 years old and it is the most original and authentic Cashmere. It is the queen of all wools and originated in Kashmir centuries ago.
Pure, uncorrupted Cashmere wool is obtained from the Cashmere goat and the name itself is derived from an archaic spelling of Kashmir. The making of Cashmere is highly labour intensive and sometimes takes as many as 200 to 250 man hours to make a single pure, plain Pashmina shawl minus the embroidery! But it is a rewarding effort for the finished product as it is unmistakable for its softness as the yarn is spun from the hair of the Ibex that is found at 14,000 feet above sea level. But some of the finest embroidery from Kashmir can be found on Pashmina shawls and sometimes, entire surfaces of these shawls are covered with fine and intricate embroidery.
Second only to the Pashmina are the woolen shawls from Kashmir that are popular because of the intricate embroidery work. The craftsmen of Kashmir use different kinds of stitches to beautify the shawls and to lend variety. Called Sozni, this is fine needlework that is generally done on the side of the shawls. The value of the shawl is determined by the amount and quality of the embroidery. The traditional Kashmiri dress Phiran is also endowed with rich embroidery.
The sozni is often used to create `motif’ designs that are abstract designs of paisleys or flowers worked usually in one, two or even three colours. Amidst the various kinds of Sozni needlework, the chain stitch is popular in Kashmiri embroidery and is done using wool, cotton or silk thread. A hook is used instead of a needle, as it covers more area than a needle. Embroidery is done on a piece of plain white cloth and small stitches are used to create figures and motifs in bright colours.
The background is also made up of a series of embroidered coin shaped circles, which add dynamism to the entire structure of the work. Chain stitch is often used to create chain stitch rugs or Gabbas.
Besides shawls, the other products famous from Kashmir are bedcovers, tablecloths, rugs and wall hangings. And the very delicate work known as `Kashmiri Crewel work’ is seen as embroidery on all these furnishings. Crewel embroidery, or Crewelwork, is a decorative form of surface embroidery, using wool and a variety of different embroidery stitches to follow a design outline that is applied to the fabric.
The technique is at least a thousand years old. Besides, all the embroidery is executed on white cotton fabric and is done by a hook, also referred to as Ari.
Carpets are considered as capital investments and great care and research goes into the selection of one. The Kashmiri carpets that are almost always hand made, knotted and never tufted, and are from wool or cotton wool. The knotting of the carpet is the most important aspect, determining its durability and value, in addition to its design.
Basically, the more knots per square inch, the greater its value and durability. Also there are single and double-knotted carpets. For instance, a single knotted carpet is fluffier and more resistant to touch. But, each carpet is sewn with a lot of precision and patience and one design in carpet weaving that is very exclusive to Kashmir is the ‘Tree of Life’.
Another distinctive art of Kashmir is ‘Papier Mache’. This involves ornamentation in color over smoothened surfaces built up of paper pulp, wood, cardboard or leather. The designs used over here are very intricate and require great accuracy. This beautiful craft can be found at the pavilion in the form of decorative boxes, candleholders and many others. Hand painting on paper Mache boxes is unique to Kashmir artisans and they have been using this skill from centuries.
Another unique feature of Kashmir is that it is the only part of India where walnut tree grows. The India pavilion houses some of the finest woodcarvings and intricate designs on walnut wood. These comprise wall hanging mirrors, jewellery boxes, serving trays and several others. The walnut wood is the most suitable for carving as it is one of the strongest varieties of woods available. The usual designs of woodcarving are the motifs of the dragon or lotus flowers.
With so much to offer, the Kashmiri outlets are a collector’s delight in the India pavilion at the Global Village.
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