SHOPPING IN KASHMIR
Shopping is one of the main draws of Kashmir and this wonderful state has so much to offer that tourists can held but shop their heart out. Plan an exclusive shopping tour to Jammu and Kashmir and visit the most popular cities for the best buys.
Kashmir is famous all over the world for its woolens and wooden handicrafts. Saffron, shatoosh and pashmina shawls, hand woven carpets, paper mache articles, walnut wood work, Kashmiri cewelwork, Honey, pherans, brass, copper and silverware, almonds, saffron and fruits form the most important buys in Jammu and Kashmir.
1.Kashmiri shawls:- Kashmiri shawls are decorated by various kind of embroideries Art or hook embroidery; motifs are well-known flower designs and ‘sozni’ or needlework’s, is finely done by experienced craftsman’s material & fine embroidery causes the hike in prices
You can get three main fibers types from which the Kashmiri shawls are made ,these are – wool , Pashmina and most expensive Shatoosh Pure wool shawls called raffal which have different counts of wool – 40, 60, 80 etc.,if the count increases so does the price . Kashmiri Pashmina Shawls: Pashmina is known for its softness. Pashmina yarn is spun from the hair of the ibex found at 14,000 ft above the sea level, Pure Pashmina is expensive but mixed Pashmina with wool is less expensiveShahtoosh , the legendary ‘ring shawl’ is famous for its lightness, softness and warmth. But it is a banned item now because hair of the Tibetan antelope’s throat are painstakingly collected until there are enough for a shawl.
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Kashmir is famous all over the world for its woolens and wooden handicrafts. Saffron, shatoosh and pashmina shawls, hand woven carpets, paper mache articles, walnut wood work, Kashmiri cewelwork, Honey, pherans, brass, copper and silverware, almonds, saffron and fruits form the most important buys in Jammu and Kashmir.
1.Kashmiri shawls:- Kashmiri shawls are decorated by various kind of embroideries Art or hook embroidery; motifs are well-known flower designs and ‘sozni’ or needlework’s, is finely done by experienced craftsman’s material & fine embroidery causes the hike in prices
You can get three main fibers types from which the Kashmiri shawls are made ,these are – wool , Pashmina and most expensive Shatoosh Pure wool shawls called raffal which have different counts of wool – 40, 60, 80 etc.,if the count increases so does the price . Kashmiri Pashmina Shawls: Pashmina is known for its softness. Pashmina yarn is spun from the hair of the ibex found at 14,000 ft above the sea level, Pure Pashmina is expensive but mixed Pashmina with wool is less expensiveShahtoosh , the legendary ‘ring shawl’ is famous for its lightness, softness and warmth. But it is a banned item now because hair of the Tibetan antelope’s throat are painstakingly collected until there are enough for a shawl.
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2.Kashmiri carpets:-Kashmiri carpets are a long time investments .It can be as cheaper as u pay for a handkerchief or it can be the most expensive purchase of your Kashmir trip . But one thing is sure if you didn’t buy a carpet during your visit you are surely missing the art of Kashmir , for what it is world renowned.Kashmir is not the origin of carpet weaving the art come from Persia. These carpets are famous for two things- they are hand made and they are always knotted, never tufted , the more knots per square inch, the greater its value and durability. Also there are single and double-knotted carpets. A single knotted carpet is fluffier and more resistant to touch than the double knotted. Knotting of the carpet & yarn is the most important features. The yarn used normally is silk, wool or silk and wool. Woolen carpets always have a cotton base.The fascinating combinations of colors & artistry makes the Kashmiri carpet a prized possession.
3.Wood Carving:- In India, Kashmir is the only region where walnut trees grows . Walnut is a soft wood, so craftsmen do fine carving on walnut wood Carving is the demonstration of the carver’s skill, and walnut take it very well, being one of the strongest varieties of wood. There are two types of walnut trees – one is the fruit bearing tree whose wood is well known, and the other which bears no fruits, is locally known as ‘zangul’. Zangul is less strong & has none of the beauty of walnut .Chinar leaves, vine leaves and flowers like lotus & roses are some of the popular designs, which can be either carved along borders or can fill entire surfaces. The artistry of the carving and its abundance dictates the cost. The ranges of furniture can be from simple bed side table to a dining table or a double bedWood-carving is one of the most popular cottage industries of the Kashmir valley.The Kashmiri specialty of woodcarving is Khatam-band which has the geometrical patterns on the ceilings of rooms. wood carvings beautifully done on the cabinets, chairs, tables, jewelry boxes and ornamental caskets produced in Kashmir. Wood carving is also done on a large scale on the doors, walls and windows of traditional Kashmiri houses.
4.Slik :- Kashmiri has a wide range of verities in silk textile designs . The weaves popularly known as ‘chinon’ and ‘crepe de chine’ are some of the fine qualities produced from the silk yarn.Sericulture industry is supervised by the state government of Jammu & Kashmir. As the state provides little raw-material for silk, weaving and printing of silk is not done on large scale in the valley. But its a known fact that the Mulberry cocoon reared in the state of Jammu and Kashmir is the superior quality in the Asia. It yields a very fine fiber can be compares with the best in the world.
5.Take back some willow baskets; definitely not your everyday shopping bag.
6.You’ve seen them at every handicraft expo you’ve been to, but this time, get the real thing – Kashmiri Lac ornaments. Go wild with necklaces, bracelets and hairpins.
7.Heat it up with spices – Other than the Kashmiri red chillies, you must take back saffron. Kashmir is one of the few places in the world that grows saffron and you will have to travel to a saffron farm near Pampore Fields, a few miles out of srinagar to get it.
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8.If you’re travelling back home by air, make a stop at a local bakery or Kandur Wan for some delicious Lavaasa, Girdas and Kulchas. You’re going to be very popular back home!