The Pashmina shawl of Kashmir is world famous for its softness and rarity Produced from wool gathered from goats in the high mountains, untimely snowfall has killed thousands of them in the past months. Scientists are now trying to clone this rare breed to save the goats from calamities, reports Anju Munshi
Pashmina-, the name evokes warmth and a rare softness. Owing its name to pashm, softest of the wool, it is known to bring magic to our winter wardrobe, it stands for sophistication and connoisseurship. But its journey from wool to the snug shawl is a long and arduous one through craggy mountain passes starting at Changtang area in southeastern Ladakh inhabited by Changpa nomads.
But today this age-old route is facing hazards with changes in the environ. This finest variety of wool comes from an area known for its harsh and arid climate with very little vegetation. This induces the animals to produce an undercoat in order to insulate themselves against the chilly conditions. This soft coating under their bellies is six times finer than human hair and is used for making the expensive Pashmina wool.
Pashmina has been an important symbol of Kashmiri handicraft identity. It is a matter of status and well being to possess these shawls. Often they are passed on as family heirlooms. In olden times the bridal attire consisted of a Pashmina sari with fine embroidery. Even today a couple of them make an important part of a bride’s trousseau.
“Pashmina goat is not a specific breed; all the local white coloured goats of Ladakh region produce the undercoat if exposed to severe cold conditions,” informs Razza Abassi, district chief husbandry officer, Kargil. Around 22,000 Pashmina goats reportedly died due to scarcity of fodder owing to unprecedented snowfall in Changtang area of Leh in the past months. The villages affected were Nyoma, Tsagha, Nider, Muth, Chumathang, Kordzoq, Manmirak, Chhusul, Phobrang and Kargyam. Abassi clarifies that Ladakh has two districts – Leh and Kargil, and the livestock deaths occurred in Leh district and not Kargil
Unexpected cold weather and inability to transport fodder from Srinagar (Jo-jila Pass remains closed for six months) dry pastures and severe winter have made a difference to the production of wool even though the Pashmina goat is quite resilient. Says Tsewan Morup from the department of sheep husbandry, Leh: “Changtang is a huge area 42000 sq kms, and the temp varies between -43 to -45 degrees. The enormity of the problem is clear only if one visits this place. The pregnant goats have been having miscarriages and the young ones, up to one-year-old, have been dying because of the cold.”
The Leh district of Greater Ladakh produces around 30 000 kg of Pashmina fibre every year which is harvested from about 0.15 million of Changthangi goats. With the numbers going down fast, the production stands at the crossroads. Naturally, the artisans and the middlemen who are involved in the trade are affected. “I may have to relocate to Srinagar or Jammu to find a job for myself as I have incurred huge losses and the future seems to be dismal unless strong steps are taken by the state government,” rues Ghulam Rasool Dar, a trader in Pashmina shawls.
Fida Hussain, DC, Kargil area, says that they are planning to get goats from Leh district under the task force programme. “It is a centrally sponsored scheme and we want to establish individual units in different villages so that Pashmina is made in Kargil too.” He says that since the Pashmina goats require a minus zero temperature places like Drass and Zanskar in the Kargil region would be suitable. “We want to have a uniform distribution of goats so that it doesn’t become Leh- centric,” he says.
Another programme of the state government is arranging fodder free of cost as part of feeding intervention schemes.
To preserve and propagate this soft fur species, a team of scientists at Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir (SKUAST-K) cloned a Pashmina goat named “Noori” for the first time in the world by a simplified hand-guided cloning technique. “It is an advanced assisted reproduction technique that does not manipulate or alter the animal’s DNA,” claims Riyaz Ahmed Shah, principal scientist in the cloning project . This project is funded by ICAR under National Agricultural Innovative Project (NAIP). It is a two pronged approach to infuse new life to Pashmina -first, by cloning of the goats and second, by enhancing the productivity and profitability of the fibre.
Besides the shortage of the wool due to environmental reasons, a man-made one has been threatening the famous woollen shawl for some time now. Many fake and semi Pashmina outlets have found their way into the markets. There are many competitors who also claim to manufacture Pashmina shawls at less than half the price but the experts warn against such a buy for with time the softness and the warmth both wear off. Some of the shawls and scarves being marketed as Indian Pashmina abroad are likely to be inferior as they are made from acrylics, regular wool and even cotton. The fakes are equally soft and it is difficult to differentiate without an expert eye. Some even have a tag of being made in China.
For this reason, pure Pashmina has been given the GI (Geographical Indication) mark like, for example, the Muga silk of Assam, so that a buyer can check and get an authentic material.
Today Pashmina has also evolved into stoles, scarves, waistcoats, wraps and ponchos and are highly in demand at home and abroad. But the scene is grim till appropriate action is taken to preserve it from extinction, feel experts.
Nature endowed the Pashmina goats with the art of growing a fleece during winter months to cope with adverse weather. How well efforts to preserve this rare wool succeed time will tell. At the moment, however, this soft fleece is surely going through a hard time . (TWF)
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