Rizvi (left) and Ahmed. (Anindya Shankar Ray)

Most of us are familiar with words like cashmere, paisley and pashmina. But it needed experts like Janet Rizvi and Monisha Ahmed, who have collaborated on Marg Publications’ book, Pashmina: The Kashmir Shawl and Beyond, to explain how the 19th century industry in weaving imitation Kashmiri shawls, developed and threatened the traditional Indian industry.

The buta motif, “the supreme expression of the Kashmiri designers’ genius, became recognised worldwide as the paisley,” named after a Scottish town. The nomadic Changpas, who live in the north-eastern parts of Ladakh and supply pashm or fibre for pashmina shawls to Kashmir, comb goats for the raw material.

Both Rizvi and Ahmed, who have lived in Kashmir and Ladakh for their research, wanted to write the “complete pashmina” story. Ahmed also went to Changthang to study their textile tradition.

Ahmed stressed that the Indian army’s presence in Ladakh, the increased network of roads in Changthang and the presence of tourists have increased the pressures on the fragile environment.

On a lighter note, Rizvi commented on the appropriation of pashmina: “It’s said that the British had an empire on which the sun never set; the reason being that God couldn’t trust them in the dark.”

Both read extracts from the book last Saturday at an event hosted by Marg and NGO Sasha. It was inaugurated by Victor Banerjee. Laila Tyabji, founder of Dastkar, said it was important to set apart Kashmiri pashmina from the stuff made in Ludhiana.