NGO helps revive dying Basohli pashmina

Dinesh Manhotra

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Tribune News Service

Jammu, December 22

The handmade traditional Basholi pashmina shawl received an unprecedented response from international exporters at a trade fair in Japan recently.

The event, ‘Trend Fair’, was organised by international exporters in Japan last month to identify indigenous arts of various regions of the world.

Basholi pashmina shawl, which is on the verge of extinction due to the discriminatory approach of the successive state governments, got international recognition after the assiduous efforts of the Vishwasthali — a Basholi-based NGO working to revive the dying Basoli art.

“An overwhelming response at the Japan fair has given encouragement to the local weavers. Now, we have decided to exhibit our products in Russia and France,” said Jagdish Raj Brahmi, president of the Vishwasthali

Rajni Sharma, a young international exporter, has taken the initiative not only to revive the almos-extinct Basholi pashmina shawl industry but also to make it popular in the international market.

Rajni in collaboration with the Vishwasthali has revived a number of sick looms at Basholi and adjoining localities by involving housewives in the process.

“International exporters were impressed when they were told about the non-mechanism process of making the shawls,” Rajni said.

“The art got international recognition which it deserves. Now, our next target is to prepare products so as to meet the requirement,” Rajni added.

“Our first attempt in the international market received unexpected results. Now, our next target is to jump into the world market to compete with our competitors,” she said.

Rajni and her team were contacted by the Vishwasthali to revive the indigenous art of Basholi and popularise it in the international market.

Kashmir and Basholi (in Jammu province) are the only places in the country where pashmina shawls are manufactured on looms. The indigenous cottage industry has seen a slump in the last 25 years.

The president of the Vishwasthali claimed that pashmina shawls being manufactured at Basholi were 100 per cent pure because there was no middleman in purchasing the raw material. “Our priority is to have 100 per cent purity so that we can beat our competitors in the international markets,” he said, adding that they have prepared 36 samples of pashmina shawls to exhibit them in France and Russia.