look news india
The campaign for the Kashmir Assembly elections is heating up. Political parties are making allegations and counter-allegations. People's Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti has accused former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah of banning the flourishing Shah Tosh shawl industry in the state.
Because of them, Shah Tosh shawl manufacturers in the state have stopped making shawls in the last two decades. This has affected the employment of thousands of people. This time Shah Tosh shawl is becoming an election issue. This issue can become an influential issue in the state.
Actually, two decades ago, the Shah Tosh shawl industry was flourishing in Kashmir. Thousands of women were getting employment from this. This also brought wealth to the state, but since the year 2003, Shah Tosh products have been banned. There is resentment among the women who used to get income from this product. For two decades, voices have been raised on this issue in the state. There has been a demand to remove the ban on this industry. Legal battles were also fought from the local level to the Supreme Court, but disappointment was met everywhere and the ban on Shah Tosh shawl production could not be lifted. Shah Tosh shawl beats even pashmina. Let's know about it.
How to get Shah Tosh wool for shawls?
Shah Tosh is actually a type of wool. That wool is very warm and soft. Shah Tosh means the king of wool. This wool is considered even better than pashmina. Wool is obtained from a Tibetan deer called Chiru. It is said that the deer is killed for this. Talking about the Chiru deer, it has special sacs in its nose to breathe in oxygen-free air. It has wool on its skin which can survive even in minus 40 degrees. The fine fibers are finer than any animal fiber.
Why was the Shah Tosh Shawl banned?
At one time, the number of these Chiru deer in Kashmir was around 10 lakh. At present, only 70 thousand of them are left from India to Tibet. Only hundreds of such deer are left in Kashmir. Deer enjoy the highest level of protection under Schedule-I of the Wildlife Protection Act of India. The United Nations has banned the purchase or sale of products made from endangered species. Shah Tosh wool is considered the best in the world. After this comes Vicuna wool.
Shah Tosh shawl costs 4-5 rupees
Red deer are not easily caught. It becomes very difficult to remove their hair. It is killed to extract the wool. It is said that Shah Tosh shawl takes 4-5 deer to kill. In the late 20th century, the population of red deer declined by 90 percent. By the year 2016, these deer were put on the list of endangered species. It is used to make warm coats, scarves and shawls. However, since 1979, under CITES, the production and sale of Shah Tosh wool has been considered illegal. However, production continued secretly. The price of Shah Tosh shawl in the black market ranges from Rs 4.5 lakh to Rs 18 lakh.
Comparison of Shah Tosh and Pashmina
The name Shah Tosh Shawl itself reminds one of royalty. This shawl is considered ethereal and delicate. Like pashmina, this shawl is also designed to fall off the wrist. The weight is minimal. At one time, wool was prepared without the carcass of red deer. Its hair was braided. But then the temptation increased and people started killing the deer. Pashmina and pashmina shawl look similar. Pashmina wool is obtained from the inner part of a goat called Changra (Pashmina). Pashmi wool is obtained from Chegu goats found in the eastern Himalayas. Pashmi wool is said to be very soft and warm, but Shah Tosh is a better wool.
The Supreme Court also supported the ban
In the year 2023, the Supreme Court gave a verdict and imposed a strict ban on the production and trade of Shah Tosh shawls. However, Shah Tosh shawls or products are seized during raids in many places including Delhi. This makes it appear that a secret network of its traders and weavers is operating in Kashmir. The killing of Chiru deer was banned in 1970. There was a time when Shah Tosh shawls could be seen from Hong Kong to New York showrooms. But the trade came to a standstill due to the ban.
traditional occupation of nomads
Nomads have hunted the Chiru throughout Asia for centuries and sent its skins to Kashmir where artisans used its wool to make shawls, sweaters and scarves. Large families were thus supported. Shawls are made after the wool goes through various stages from washing to spinning, weaving, embroidery. Clothes made of it were prepared for Mughal emperors. Currently, only 300 Chiru are left in North India. It lives in the interiors of Ladakh. Tibet is home to 75,000 Chiru deer.