PASHIMA : ART & CULTURE
NEWS : PM Modi gifts antique silver train model to President Biden and
pashmina shawl to First Lady
WHAT’S IN THE NEWS ?
Pashmina:
·
Certified wool from the Kashmir region of India.
·
Originally used by Kashmiris to keep warm during winter.
·
Production –
- Wool sourced from Changthangi goats in Ladakh.
- Harvested by the Changpa tribes, a semi-nomadic community in Ladakh.
·
Significance – Known for its fine quality and high cost due to labour-intensive
production.
·
Regulation – BIS standards for
identification and purity certification introduced in 2019.
Changpa Tribe:
·
Semi-nomadic people primarily in
the Changtang plateau of Ladakh
·
Cultural Affinity – Share linguistic and cultural ties with Tibetans.
·
Religion – All Changpa families follow Tibetan Buddhism.
- Reboo – Conical yak-skin
tents used by Changpas for housing family deity and a picture of the
Dalai Lama.
·
Lifestyle – Mostly nomadic
- Nomadic Changpas are referred to as Phalpa
- Settled Changpas are referred to as Fangpa
·
Livelihood – Rearing yaks and Changra goats (Capra Hircus) for milk,
hair, and meat.
·
Status – Granted official status as a scheduled tribe in
1989