The Kani shawl, one of India’s oldest known textile crafts, originated in Kanihama, in Kashmir. The earliest example available is from the first half of the 17th century, though the industry flourished during the Mughal era. Kani's tradition stands out among the vast array of exquisite Kashmiri shawl styles.

Kani weaving uses sticks or cane needles called tujis instead of shuttles. The wool is sourced from Ladakh, where mountain goats naturally shed their fleece during spring. It's then handspun to make yarn. The luxurious pashmina yarn is painstakingly woven thread by thread, similar to a fine twill tapestry carpet technique. Guided by a coded pattern called talim, artisans determine the number of warp threads to be covered with a specific-coloured weft.

Reminiscent of impressionist paintings, Kani shawls feature natural motifs, flowers and leaves. Highly sought after worldwide, a single Kani shawl can take from 6 to 18 months to complete.

The style was certified with a Geographical Indication (GI) tag in 2010.

References in the Ain-i-Akbari, a detailed document on the administration of Akbar, indicate that Kani was the emperor’s personal favourite. Sikh maharajas and British aristocrats, too, styled themselves with these shawls. Now, Bollywood legend Amitabh Bachchan promotes Kani shawls. He has been seen and photographed wearing them multiple occasions. Some of the finest examples of the Kani are displayed at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.

Any information on this page is anecdotal and based on publicly available details. If you're interested in learning more, click here.