| | Jamawars are one of the most fascinating Shawls.The intricacy of the pattern and the complexity of the color scheme intrigues a person.One can barely resist a 'jamawar' from Kashmir. "Every shawl has a story behind it -- not just how it was made; how it was acquired also has a story,Shawl weaving began under the patronage of the Kashmiri ruler, Zain-ul-'Abidin, in the early 15th century, and flourished during the latter Moghul period. Each shawl was woven by hand using the laborious 'twill-tapestry' technique, and took years to complete.
The weaving process required a team of workers. Each worker was given a specific responsibility. The labour was divided between men and women. For instance, the jobs of cleaning the wool,dying and spinning were performed by women. Men typically had the job of warp making, drawing the patterns and weaving on handlooms.
The patterns reflect the flora and flaura and the exceptional designing capabilities of the shawl makers; the shawls themselves tell the story of the historical and political climate of the period and the struggles of the artisans. Weavers almost became blind in the process of weaving these shawls.''
During the 18th and 19th centuries British and French colonizers were drawn to the beauty of Kashmiri shawls. These were taken to Europe as gifts to European royalty which actually paved the path for the European shawls . Soon, the nobles began coveting them and the shawls dominated the fashion scene in Europe. When the demand exceeded the supply, the shawls began to be manufactured in Europe. In contrast to Kashmiri shawls which were handwoven, the European shawls -- called "Paisley" after a town in Scotland where they were first made -- were created on Jackard and Power looms.
A Kashmiri Jamawar shawl can have as many as 250 colours, while its European counterpart usually has only about six to 12 colours. The European shawls also took only a few days or weeks to complete but on the other hand these original Kashmiri Jamawars used to take few years to complete.Few of these Jamawars belonging to those era can now only be seen in museums or with those who's forefathers have kept these Ethenic masterpieces as a privileged collection of Indian Art and Craft depicting the Indian Heritage and Tradition. |
