The Traditional Pashmina by Bodh and Bhutia Tribe

Once an exclusive reserve of royalty, the Pashmina wool originated from the magnificent vales of Leh-Ladakh and Garhwal by the Bodh and Bhutia tribe. The only art form to have endured generations of political, religious and economic upheaval, it continues to offer strong prospects of affluence and sophistication. Pashmina refers to the fine cashmere wool and the textiles made out of it, the most popular derivative being the Pashmina shawl. 

The well known centers for shawl weaving are Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh- each state weaving and embellishing the shawl in its own exceptional fashion, so much so that ultimately some of these immaculate pieces end up as museum exhibits. Each step in the making of the Pashmina shawl involves a highly specialized knowledge including the shearing, manual sorting by colour, length of fleece and quality, followed by several rounds of cleaning, spinning and dyeing, before this wollen marvel is ready to adorn yet another fortunate shoulder.  

It was only after 15th century the word Pashmina was used for the fine wool, while the art of Pashmina making has been known for millennia. Pashmina wool industry in Kashmir was founded by Zain-ul-Abidin the King of Kashmir (1418-1470). Mughal Emperor Akbar took great interest in the improvement of the old industry and it was at this time embroidery was introduced, the influence of which could be seen in the form of motifs used in these shawls till date. Some of the designs like Buta Muhammad Shah and Shah Pasand strongly reflects the influence of Mughal period and are also named after Mughal emperors. 

Majority of the easily available Pashmina in recent times are blends of wool and silk. The original hand woven Pashminas are soft, luxurious, warm, rare and expensive. The irregularities and nuances is what imparts Pashmina the status of unique heirloom. Even today Pashmina is considered to be a royalty product with a wide demand throughout the world. Tribes India a brand by TRIFED, Ministry of Tribal Affairs brings to you the high quality Pashmina Shawls at affordable prices. TRIFED in its endeavour to protect the art form and skill set of the local artisans, procures and market the original produce from the interiors of Leh and Kashmir.