some of the finest craft traditions in India. Traditional craftsmen who have the skills passed from one generation to the next in a tradition that survives even today. Hand-knotted carpets in silk, wool or a combination of yarns bear floral designs and exquisite patterns with a strong Persian influence. Less expensive but equally beautiful are the woollen rugs called 'namdas' made by first pressing wool and cotton fibres manually, the rugs are then decorated with colourful chain stitch embroidery. This special chain stitch or crewelwork of Kashmir adorns wall hangings, rugs, the phiran (robe-like over-dress worn by both men and women) as well as shawls. Other handicrafts of Kashmir include papier-mâché objects painted with gold leaf and natural colours, basketry, carved wooden furniture made from the walnut wood and beaten silver and copper ware.
Kashmir gave the word ‘Cashmere’ to the lexicon of fabrics and cashmere wool products are greatly valued and much sought after. Kashmiri shawls are famed for their fine material and delicate embroidery and are made of the famous cashmere wool, the soft Pashmina wool or the priceless shahtoosh. While woollen shawls are valued for their embroidery known as sozni, the shahtoosh is so fine that it can pass through a finger ring. Made from the hair of the ibex that lives on rocky terrain at heights of 14,000 feet, the Pashmina wool is sometimes combined with wool or rabbit fur to make shawls. The shahtoosh comes from thewool of the chiru antelope found exclusively in the highlands of Ladakh above 5,000 metres. Fine down beneath the throat of the antelope is gathered for the wool, which is extremely expensive and shawls made of it are treated like heirlooms. The India government has recently imposed a ban on the trade in shahtoosh, due to a dwindling population of the rare antelope
