SHAHTOOSH: LEGACY & TRAGEDY

Zaara Farooq - Class X

‘The King of Wools’ in Persian; an apt description for an extremely fine wool which tends to be softer and much more expensive than Angora, Pashmina, and Cashmere. Under Emperor Akbar, in the monarchical wardrobe, Shahtoosh was extensively used. It was the most expen sive, delicate and coziest shawl. It was delicate enough to pass through a finger ring. Wool that is naturally coloured black, white, and red. It is said that the Emperor once ordered the white shawl to be dyed red, but the shawl did not take the colour. People started using it simply in its natural colours. Since then the wool is being used by people as a sign of luxury, superiority and elitism; due to its exceedingly high cost. But it is said that opulence comes at a great price. This time the price for obtaining the wool was the life of an animal: the Tibetan Chiru. Also known as the Tibetan Antelope, it is an animal that is exclusively seen in Ladakh and some parts of Jammu and Kashmir. The shawls are made from the finest hair under its belly and chest. Every step of the process, from obtaining the wool to creating the shawl, is done by hand. Looking at the requirements of the Tibetan Antelopes, a single shawl requires the slaughter of three to five Tibetan antelopes. As a result, this sheltered species’ population declined by 90% in a century. The Tibetan Antelope has been designated as a near-threatened species since 2016 as a result of species conservation programs and partial population recovery. Despite the fact that the wool has been prohibited under CITES since 1979, it is used to make luxurious scarves and shawls. Unfortunately, in some places, Shahtoosh is illegally woven in India, but all source countries prohibit animal slaughter and trade in Shahtoosh. “Owning a Shahtoosh shawl is illegal.”