HANDICRAFTS - SHAWL STRATIFICATION

Over the centuries, the Shawl making in Kashmir has emerged such an important exercise that the people associated with the diverse processes are still known by their jobs. Saroj Koul identifies the division of labour that the Shawl making industry exhibited during Sikh and Dogra rule. Some of these professions no longer exist a few were retained as the caste’s and identities

The division of labour in the manufacture of shawls and shawl goods was wallknit. There were, at least, nineteen specialists and traders engaged in this industry. The description of these becomes essential here:

Pashm Farosh: The Baqal or merchant importer disposed his wool to the Pasham Farosh or wool retailer (also called Baqal-i-Tibet) through a Mokyem (the commission broker) who received commission of three annas per trak. In addition to this, the broker charged weighing charges in the form of wool. This amounted to two and a half manwatta (a local measure of weight of two and a half seers) per horse load. The retailer made the payment immediately or sometimes credit was also advanced for a month or two. The retailer paid two or three per cent as interest on the amount transacted.

Spinners: The retailer sold the wool to spinners who were generally women. A pal (a unit of weight equal to 3.43 of Mahmood Shahi Rupee, an old rupee minted in Kashmir with the name of the Mughal Kings of Delhi) of white wool was sold for six tangas. The profit of retailer in this deal was about 12 per cent. The wool brought from retailer was mixed. The first task of the spinner was to separate the inferior and pure wool of which fleece consisted. This wool was cleaned with cold rice water. Husked rice was soaked in clean cold water for two or three days till this rice was soft. It was then grounded into flour. Thin layers of this and of picked wool were laid alternately and squeezed with hand until they were completely intermixed.