Jabalpur (Madhya Pradesh) : Artist weavers and traders from Kashmir have introduced a unique piece of art - Jama shawl - in the Jabalpur market of Madhya Pradesh. This is more an example of wonderful artistry than just a piece of cloth to beat the cold. Ismail, an artist from Kashmir, said that the price of this shawl is Rs 75,000.
When asked about the reason behind its high price, Ismail said that it takes one to one and a half hours for an artist to make this shawl on Pashmina fabric. Ismail said that it takes a year to weave each thread with a fine needle and its embroidery is so fine that it is also called lens work. He elaborated that once upon a time there were many artists in Kashmir who took it up.
Now only a small number of people are left in this and also most of them are elderly because it is a work which requires great patience. In this art, every artist makes the design from his own mind. Nowadays, the youth don't have the patience to do such intricate work for years. This shawl is not only to ward off the cold but is also a sum given in honor of the work done by the artist.
Ismail said that people who know the greatness of this art preserve this shawl in the same way as they save gold and silver. Jama Shawl is a wonderful masterpiece and this art came from Iran. He said that Shay Hamdan, a Sufi from Iran who came to Kashmir around 1400 AD, taught the people of Kashmir the art of weaving, which gradually developed and today has become one of the finest art in the world.
There are also Pashmina shawls. Their embroidery is also very beautiful, each and every fiber of it is woven very minutely. Once upon a time, gold fibers were also embroidered in this shawl. Apart from this, the artists here have shown us many types of shawls. Describing about Pashmina shawls, Ismail said that in fact, beard hair of a species found at high altitude in the Himalayas is used in making Pashmina shawls. Their fiber is very soft, hence it gives a very delicate feel. It is very hot but this wool is rarely available so the price is high.
Some excellent artists of Kashmir shawl have come to Jabalpur from all over the country. Not only shawls but also artists related to silk handloom have come. This fair has been organized by the Textiles Ministry of the Central Government in Gol Bazaar of Jabalpur.
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