Preserving the Heritage of Basohli Pashmina: A Story of Tradition and Struggle

Описание: Nestled on the banks of the Ravi in Jammu’s Kathua region, the small town of Basoli is renowned for its exquisite pashmina shawl making. In India, only Kashmir and Basohli in the Jammu Province are home to the traditional craft of pashmina shawl production, which has become a thriving cottage industry in these regions.

The journey of pashmina wool from its raw form to a luxurious shawl involves the skilled hands of many artisans in Basohli. The town boasts numerous Pashmina units dedicated to crafting these exquisite shawls. Recently, the traditional craft of Basohli Pashmina was honored with the esteemed Geographical Indication (GI) tag, recognizing its exceptional softness, finesse, and feather-like weight.

The artisans in Basohli take pride in employing the traditional method of pashmina production, where every step, from cleaning and carding the wool to spinning and weaving, is meticulously carried out by hand. However, despite its rich heritage, the Basohli pashmina shawl industry is facing challenges. Daily wage workers, who depend solely on this art, feel neglected and exploited by middlemen and the government, leading to the industry's decline.

Once a craft that engaged every household and its members, Basohli pashmina making is now at risk of fading away. The discriminatory approach of successive state governments has pushed this traditional industry to the brink of extinction, prompting many to abandon this once-thriving art form.

This story is by Basharat Amin, a Community, Content Creator from Kathua, Jammu. Learn more about Basharat and see other videos of his/hers here. www.videvolunteers.org


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This story is filmed and edited by the community content creator. We bring you unfiltered stories from the deepest, most media-dark areas.


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