Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Sumptuous Shawls, Silk & Saris
Indian shawls are famously warm and lightweight - they're often better than the best down
jackets. It's worth buying one to use as a blanket on cold night journeys. Shawls are made
from all sorts of wool, and many are embroidered with intricate designs.
The undisputed capital of the Indian shawl is the Kullu Valley in Himachal Pradesh, with
dozens of women's cooperatives producing very fine woollen pieces that are sold across
the country.
Ladakh and Kashmir are major centres for
pashmina
(wool shawl) production (sold
throughout India) - you'll pay at least ?6000 for the authentic article - however, be aware
that many so-called
pashminas
are actually made from a mixture of yarns. Gujarat's Kutch
region produces some particularly distinctive woollen shawls, patterned with subtle em-
broidery and mirrorwork.
Saris are a very popular souvenir, especially given that they can be easily adapted to oth-
er purposes (from cushion covers to skirts). Real silk saris are the most expensive, and the
silk usually needs to be washed before it becomes soft. The 'silk capital' of India is Kan-
chipuram in Tamil Nadu, but you can also find fine silk saris (and cheaper scarves) in other
centres including Mysore. You'll pay upwards of ?3000 for a quality embroidered silk sari.
Patan in Gujarat is the centre for the ancient and laborious craft of
patola
-making. Every
thread in these fine silk saris is individually hand-dyed before weaving, and patterned bor-
ders are woven with real gold. Slightly less involved versions are produced in Rajkot.
Aurangabad, in Maharashtra, is the traditional centre for the production of
himroo
shawls, sheets and saris, made from a blend of cotton, silk and silver thread. Silk and gold-
thread saris produced at Paithan (near Aurangabad) are some of India's finest - prices
range from around ?7000 to a mind-blowing ?300,000. Other regions famous for sari pro-
duction include Madhya Pradesh for its cotton Maheshwari (from Maheshwar) and silk
Chanderi saris (from Chanderi), and West Bengal for its
baluchari
saris from Bishnupur,
which employ a traditional form of weaving with untwisted silk thread.
Be aware that it's illegal to buy shahtoosh shawls, as rare Tibetan antelopes are slaughtered to provide the
wool. If you come across anyone selling these shawls, inform local authorities.
