KOLKATA: The winter is escaping from the nature as the spring emerged with its beautiful features to it. The winter season reminds us cold and foggy weather where a soft, warm, comfortable and well-designed Kashmiri Shawl is desirable for all with a warm cup of tea or coffee.      

Kashmir, the place of earth’s heaven is situated by the lap of Himalaya. The elegance of the nature keeps busy itself to ornament the place.      

From the very old days, the Kashmiri Shawl was very popular to Indian subcontinent region and Europe. At present, many artistic and fashionable people wrap them up with a beautiful and comfortable Kashmiri Shawl.   

But, the Kashmiri Shawl is not available in every place in Bangladesh, Pakistan and India. Only selected shopping malls and clothing houses are selling Kashmiri Shawl with an affordable price.  

Kashmir Shawl Emporium, the place, where one can find lots of Shawls with attractive designs. It is the first Kashmiri Shawl shop of Kolkata with 85-years old.      

Pashmina Shawl is the most attractive shawl of this shop. A large number of handicrafts in many design also available here. It sells shawls only made by its own factory in Kashmir.       
 
Kashmir Shawl Emporium, located at New Market in Kolkata town with 122, 123, 125 places.  

Shajad Ahmed and Sarfaraz Ahmed owners of ‘Kashmir Shawl Emporium’ said they helm the shawl business by their grandfather. Since then, ‘Kashmir Shawl Emporium’ is their life.

Shajad and Sarfaraz said Pashmina Shawl is high demandable in German, USA, UK, Australia, China and Bangladesh.   

The two siblings informed that they had provided many kinds of shawls to many Bangladeshi celebrities and politicians. Besides, celebrity personalities of Kolkata and Mumbai buy shawls from their shop.  

Sarfaraj said there are two parts of Pashmina Shawl, Pashmina and Kani Pashmina. Of them, Kani Pashmina is the most famous in worldwide, which was introduced from Mughal era.  

The prices of shawls are different in the basis of design and cloths. Aribog (chain stitch) from 1,500-15,000 Rupees, Sejini (stitch), 700-5,000, Semi Pashmina 2,500-35,000, Pashmina, 7,000-4,50,000, Kani Pashmina 70,000-3,50, 000, Semi Pashmina Kani 3,000-10,000 and Artificial Shawl from 800-2,000 Indian Rupees.

From November to March, around 2,500-30,000 people from home and abroad came ‘Kashmir Shawl Emporium’ daily to buy their favourite shawls, said Shajad Ahmed.   

While the origin of shawls in the world can be traced back more than 700 years, it is not confirmed to say when, where and by whom the first shawl was made.  

The art of weaving in the Kashmir valley was introduced in mid 14th century.

It`s said that a peasant called Ali Baba 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 artisan 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 effects the vision of the artisan and some embroidered shawls takes 2 to 4 years time to complete.   

By the 16th century, the Kashmir shawl industry was an old and well-established one and Fabrics Bernier describes it in the late 17th Century, which leaves no doubts that he is referring to the same Pashmina Shawls that become famous as Kashmir Shawls.        

It became a garment of high fashion, the style being set by Empress Josephine after she received Kashmir shawls as gift from Napoleon.   

The shawls became a habit to the wardrobe of every fashionable woman in Europe, particularly in France. The Industry flourished during this period.  

Pashmina refers to a type of cashmere wool made from it. The name comes from “Pasmineh”; originate from the Persian word for wool “Pashm”. This wool comes from “Changthangi” or Pashmina goat – a special breed of goat indigenous to high altitudes of the Himalayas.   

The wool has been used for hundreds of years to make high-quality shawls that bear the same name. The goat sheds its winter coat every spring and the fleece is caught on thorn bushes.

Villagers would scour the mountainside for the finest fleece to be used. Kashmiri shawls have been manufactured in Kashmir for hundreds of years.   

The most popular Pashmina fabric is a 70% Pashmina - 30% silk blend, but 50/50 is also common. The 70/30 is tightly woven, has an elegant sheen and drapes nicely, but is still quite soft and lightweight.

BDST: 1218 HRS, MAR 01, 2014