BY DR.ABDUL AHAD
Owing to political bickering and wrangling, following close upon the heels of the Sultans’ death, the shawl suffered a setback and relegated to background for some time. With the accession of Sultan Hussain Shah (1562-69) to the throne of Kashmir, tranquillity replaced turmoil resulting in the improvement of conditions which eventually made the shawl vitally important for the economy and enabled it to earn the political patronage that it hitherto had enjoyed.
The successors of the Sultan being full of zest for the arts and crafts encouraged the development of the shawl to make it an important exportable item. The Mughal emperors, however, immensely encouraged it in every possible way bringing its weaving to such a perfection that it soon was regarded as a symbol of imperial prestige and a determinant of commercial ties with the foreign countries thereby accelerating the process of urbanising Kashmir. The Mughals set the industrial, commercial and production patterns of its Karkhanas creating new social patterns among its craftsmen.
The Mughal interest in the technological development of the shawl industry on a sound economic footing can be attributed to their strong fascination for the fabric which they considered a symbol of court prestige and auspiciousness.” In his Tuzk, Jahangir describes the stuff as one of his favourite items of dress.
Thus the royal patronage made the shawl a status and a fashion symbol throughout the empire particularly on the occasion of imperial festivities.
Enormous wealth, splendour, might and majesty of the Mughal court gave rise to a desire among the nobility and the courtiers for the precious and beautiful both of which qualities the shawl amply possessed making it quite popular Amidst the dancing girls’ anklets, Jingling to the lilting tunes of the delightful music, shawls were exchanged as gifts among Umras, envoys, princes,Jagirdars and others, On the occasion of Prince Parvez’s visit, Jahangir writes that the Princes “superb present consisted of eighty trained elephants of the highest value, two hundred horses of the best breed of Irak, with their capelines wrought in gold; one thousand camels of the dromedary sort.. . a number of the large white oxen of Gujrat; four hundred trays of gold brocade, valvet,
satin, and other pieces of manufacture of the rarest fabric (the shawl).. . being
equivalent to the magnificent sum of four hundred lakhs of rupees.”
The Kashmir shawls were given as presents not only to the ladies of the imperial harem, governors and newly appointed State officials, but also to foreign envoys on State visit to India. Sir Thomas Roe, ambassador of James I of England was presented one such shawl when he visited Surat in 1616. Shawls were sent to foreign monarchs as a token of respect and good-will for instance by Shah Jahan to the rulers of Rome, Persia, Egypt, Golcanda and Bijapur.
The production of the exquisite shawl was lent further impetus by the Mughal patronage of culture, fine arts and urbanisations which immensely encouraged the textile Karkhanas. Apart from maintaining large wardrobes and stores for the preservation of various stuffs, either bought, or woven to order, or received as tribute or presents, the Mughal rulers (especially emperor Akbar) made it compulsory for their courtiers and people of certain ranks to wear certain articles such as takauchiya (coat), peshwaz (a coat open in front) and parmanarm3 (the Kashmir shawl). According to Abul Fadl, this was done to regulate and intensify the demand of various stuffs to which Akbar paid much attention.
Ever-increasing demands of the imperial court, therefore, strengthened the shawl industry and its workers. Considering the number of dignitaries, national and international, who received Kashmir products as presents, and that of the people of ranks, who bought these in markets, the demands appears to have been enormous.34 A special officer, called Khan-i-saman, took care of purchasing the stuff from the market and getting new ones manufactured well in advance.Also, officers were stationed in Kashmir to purchase the best shawls.
The huge demand for the shawl proportionately increased the number of craftsmen. Even small children took to the occupation of shawl making.
Having reached the zenith of delicacy and exquisiteness, the shawl thus went across the frontiers of India through the travellers who attended the court of the Great Mughals.
Not before 1796, was the shawl sent to Europe when the Afghan rulers of Kashmir through King Nadir Shah sent it to the ruler of Canstantinople.His successors followed the trend earning lacs of rupees. During the governorship of Abdullah Khan the Kashmir shawl for the first time found its way to Europe through one Syed Yaheya of Baghdad who on his visit to Kashmir had received it as a gift from the governor.Through Khadive whom the Syed gifted the shawl in Egypt it found its way to Napoleon Bonaparte as a gift again. However, having no use for it due to his preoccupation with the Egyptian campaigns Napdeon lent it to the Empress Josephine who was so immensely pleased to wear it that she discarded cloak, setting a new trend in fashions among women not only in Paris but in Europe and England too. Army officers began sending shawls as presents to their women folk who found it lending more grace to their bodies than the traditional costumes. The Empress alone is said to have possessed about 400 Kashmir shawls.
Dr. Ahad is a historian and author
