‘Jama’ means a robe or a shawl and ‘war’ means yard (a measuring unit).
The handwoven Jamawar shawls are considered to be “rare pieces of art”. It is a classic piece of attire that oozes elegance and exquisite taste of the wearer. Pure Jamawar Shawls can sometimes take years to make. Every patch of embroidery is meticulously done by hand. There are families of skilled craftsmen and artisans who have been associated with this art for generations.
The history of Jamawar fabric is very intriguing. This fabric was widely produced under the Mughal emperorship. They were the ones who laid the foundation of the Kashmir Shawl industry. Jamawar consists of a special technique that travelled from Persia to Kashmir five hundred years ago. It was introduced under the reign of Zain-Ul-Abdin in the 15th century. He was the ruler of Kashmir at that time and brought craftsmen from Turkestan to the valley. Jamawar was especially popularized by the great King Akbar which helped in flourishing this industry further and the economy as a whole. He was an admirer of the art of hand embroidery and brought several artisans together from different parts of the country to expand its production. In that period, a single Jamawar shawl used to take years or even a whole decade to be completed.
Years ago, Jamawar shawls were crafted from pure silk threads and were worn by the rich families and royalties. These shawls are characterized by the colours of flora and fauna that are expressed skillfully on the piece of the rich fabric. The main focus is the exceptional embroidery and weaving done on the cloth.
