The Story of the Kashmiri Shawl…
The art of weaving, embroidery and shawl making was brought to Kashmir as early as the 13th century. This art was was popularized by the famous Sufi saint, Shah Hamdan, who arrived from Iran with spiritual knowledge and a new craft to teach the local population.
This is why the art of Kashmiri shawl making has a unique and dynamic spiritual aspect to it. The art is taught by a master, who has learned the skill by personal instruction from his own master, and this is a process which is carried over across generations.
Many times craftsmen chant spiritual songs or Quranic verses while developing their dynamic creations. The art work is also something which is created over a great deal of time, where it often takes months or years to complete one shawl.
The apprentice is carefully selected by the master, as the skill of Shawl embroidery can take up 10–12 hours of concentration on a daily basis. Therefore, the would-be apprentice needs the right family background and personal make up to be fit for the rigors of such an apprenticeship.
The end result of this dynamic process is the spiritual transformation of the apprentice, as evidenced in the design of the shawl.
This is evidenced by the quality and beauty of the majestic shawl, created by the craftsman, which is an outward reflection of the craftsman’s inner transformation and the beauty of the human spirit.
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