Kani Shawl are clothing accessory, made by the craftsmen of the State of Jammu and Kashmir, by the twill tapestry weaving process using numerous Kanis or Tujlis (which are eyeless wooden spokes). Contemporary Kani Shawl continues to be produced out of fine hand spun fibres of Pashmina wool, however silk and other fine wools are also used for its production. The Kani shawls are light in weight and have a fine and luxurious texture, being the product of a compact weave.
The weft yarn are woven in a localized manner in contrast to traditional through and through weaving, based on a written script called ‘Talim’. The Talim is a written script consisting of precise instructions to be strictly followed by the weaver during the entire weaving process so as to weave the visualized and preconceived design plotted on graph paper into the shawl.
Interlocking of weft yarn is done with preceding and subsequent yarn at the location of colour change. Researchers are of the opinion that this interlocking technique is not practiced by any other contemporary weaving tradition and also that it cannot be performed by the present technology and machines available in weaving.
The characteristic Kani Shawl designs are:
- Hashiadaar Shawl - with narrow running borders on all four sides.
- Jamawar or purmattan shawl - in which the entire field is covered with intricate all over pattern and motifs.
- Chand-daar Shawl or moon shawl - a square or rectangular shawl with a central medallion and four quarter medallions on four corners.
- Du-Shaalli - two shawls are stitched together back to back to form a single Palladaar Shawl- with intricate pattern only on the two ends of the shawl along with narrow borders.
- Butidaar Shawl - which has small or large ‘butis’ (individual motif), used repetitively.
- Khat-e-raas shawl - with various striped patterns rendered with almond, leaf and flower motifs. Longedaar and Thahridaar are variations in a striped shawl.
- reversible shawl.
The above mentioned patterns comprise of a range of floral, Almond, Cypress tree, Chinar leaf and fruit motifs inspired by the floral and fauna of Kashmir Valley. The predominant motif that is seen in the Kani Shawl is the elongated Almond ‘buti’ with a bent tip, also known as the ‘Teardrop’ motif, ‘Kairi’ or mango motif and the ‘elongated cone’ or ‘Paisley’ motif
The colours commonly used in olden days were white for males and red for females. Later, gold and yellow colours were also included and indigo was also used as a common colour.
GI Tag Registration Date : 27 November 2008
GI Tag Number : 51
Certificate Number : 83
Geographical Area : Jammu and Kashmir
Special Cover Release Date : 17 August 2021
Cancellation : Srinagar 190 001
Type : GI Tag Cover
Cover Identification Number : J&K/02/2021
Enlarged View of Cancellation
Logo of Kani Shawl
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