Kashmiri Shawls: A Lifetime of Collecting

Featuring pieces from the collection of Satwant Bhatia, courtesy of Anju Kataria and Khazana Gallery, Minneapolis

The Kashmiri shawl developed over three hundred years, through four different periods of foreign political rule. It is impossible to speak of one ‘great period’ in the development of the Kashmiri shawl as each era, community of weavers, and weaving region brought its own unique contribution. The Kashmiri shawl was originally designed as a covering for men in India, eventually evolving in the popular cultures of India, Europe, and the United States as a mark of nobility and rank. They were given as heirlooms on a girl’s coming-of-age and marriage, used as artistic elements in interior design, and eventually inspired the global cashmere industry.

The distinctive elements of a Kashmiri shawl are its warmth, lightness, and signature boteh design, of Persian origin. Called buta in India, this motif developed throughout time and changes in these shawls followed this development. The buta began its journey as a flowering plant (floral buta) in the Mughal period, evolved into a slightly abstract representation of flowers (semi-floral buta), and then developed during the Afghan period into a more stylized curvilinear representation of foliage and flowers rising to a vertex at the top (cone buta). By the middle of the nineteenth century, under the Sikhs, it had developed into an extremely stylized form of sweeping sinuous curves (sweeping buta), far removed from any resemblance of nature’s flora.

This stunning collection of Satwant Bhatia’s Kashmiri shawls are woven of cashmere (from cashmere goats), pashmina (from the Himalayan Mountain Goat, a type of cashmere goat), and shatoosh (from the Chiru, or Tibetan Antelope, currently an endangered species). The shawls presented have been selected from her collection, with some dating back to 150 years old, and includes Satwant’s first shawl. These exquisite pieces were selected for their exceptional workmanship and breadth of technique: hand embroidery in silk or cotton- Sozni; double sided fabrics- Dotarfa; Jamawar- a weave structure similar to a tapestry-style of motif building that is integral to the fabric’s structure and not brocade or supplemental weft; meticulously mended Rafu work on jacquard-loomed pieces; and superb Tilla embroidery in gold and silver threads.

A bibliography of resources in our library chronicles the evolution of these shawls and the appropriation of their style and design by European textile manufacturers in the production of the Paisley Shawls of Scotland and the “oriental style” French and Belgian shawls, all of which developed to serve the demands of luxury and status in European society. Today, mass produced imitations dominate the market in India, Europe, America, and around the world with many now being made of merino wool and synthetic yarns, and woven on power jacquard looms.

Navigating fiber and weaving terms

There are many textiles circulating in the world that are misrepresented and mislabeled, intentionally or not. The situation often appears complex and unclear, and it is. Origin and identification of textiles has much to do with categorization. Details are often unknown and misstated, as information and classifications are not universally standardized or understood. Added to this is the appropriation and Anglicization of terms of origin, further complicating misunderstanding and misinformation.

To simplify, the following is by no means a recognized standard, but is an attempt to help the visitor appreciate the differences in the materials being used in this magnificent collection of shawls.

Is Pashmina the same as Cashmere?  What is Shahtoosh?

Cashmere refers to the soft wool that comes from Cashmere goats, of which there are many breeds around the world.

Pashmina specifically refers to the finest and softest fibers sourced from the undercoat of Himalayan Mountain Goats in the Jammu and Kashmir region, of which the breeds are specifically Changthangi or Changra.  These goats are also categorized as cashmere goats, so in essence, pashmina is a type cashmere–of the finest quality and specifically from the Himalayan mountain goat.

Shahtoosh is one of the finest natural animal fibers known.  It is obtained from the fur of the Chiru, also called the Tibetan Antelope. Shawls made from the fine fibers of the undercoat of the Chiru are called Shahtoosh.

The Chiru is currently an endangered species and international trade is currently prohibited for Shahtoosh products. (worldwildlife.org)