Kani Shawl Weaving

Kani shawls are among the most technically complex textiles in the world, woven on handlooms in Kanihama village near Budgam, Jammu and Kashmir, using hundreds of small wooden spools called kanis instead of a shuttle. Each kani carries a different coloured yarn, and the weaver follows a coded pattern chart called talim written in a unique notation system that specifies colour changes row by row. A single kani shawl with intricate paisley (keri) borders can take 6 months to 3 years for a pair of weavers to complete. The fine Pashmina base makes kani shawls extraordinarily light and warm. Tapestry-twill weave creates a reversible fabric with no loose floats. Kani weaving is a declining craft with only a few hundred active weavers remaining. GI-certified since 2013. Masterwork pieces — some weighing only 300g — sell for several lakhs of rupees at auction.