Once the priced possession of kings and royals, Kashmir's traditional kani shawls are back in vogue due to revival of trade and tourism in the State.
Kani shawls, popularly called jamavars, are known for their exquisite texture and beautiful designs. They are made of lamb wool and woven on a fame-loom using countless needles called tooji.
Kani, however, is the little wooden stick used as a spoon to weave the shawl. Sometimes, as many as 50 kanis are used with different coloured threads for a single weft. Even today, intricate patterns are woven using this technique in a village of Kanihama, which lies on the road to Gulmarg.
Commenting on the resurgence of kani shawls in the market, a Government official said artisans are now producing more shawls and improving their designs since rates of shawls have shot up. Hence, the number of looms has increased from 60 to 1000.
Talking about the complexity of its make, a kani shawl trader said that at least 20-25 colours are used in one kani shawl. It's no wonder then that a single kani shawl can cost anything between Rs 10,000-Rs 8 lakh.
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