SSC
The fine underfur of Kashmiri (Changthangi) goats is used to weave shawls known as:
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Answer: Option A — Pashmina shawls
Detailed Solution
Pashmina is the extremely fine, soft and warm wool obtained from the underfur (undercoat) of the Changthangi goat (Capra hircus), which lives at heights of over 4,000 metres on the Changthang plateau of Ladakh and western Tibet. To survive the harsh winters, where temperatures fall to minus 40 degrees Celsius, these goats grow a thick undercoat. In spring, when they shed it, the herders (the nomadic Changpa community) comb out the fine fibre by hand.
The word "pashmina" comes from the Persian word "pashm", meaning wool. A pashmina fibre is about 12-15 microns thick, much finer than a human hair. The raw wool is cleaned, spun by hand and woven by hand in Kashmir, especially in Srinagar. The finished shawls are often decorated with fine embroidery called "sozni" or woven as "kani" shawls.
"Kashmir Pashmina" received a Geographical Indication (GI) tag in 2008. Hand-made pashmina is tested and certified with a label to protect it from fake machine-made products.
Pashmina should not be confused with:
Shahtoosh ("king of wool"): made from the wool of the Tibetan antelope (chiru). Making it requires killing the animal, so trade in shahtoosh is banned in India and worldwide under CITES.
Kullu shawls: woollen shawls with geometric patterns from Himachal Pradesh, with a GI tag.
Other crafts of Kashmir include papier-mache, walnut wood carving, carpets and the "Kani" shawl woven with small wooden sticks (kanis).
Why not the other options?
- ✗Shahtoosh comes from the endangered Tibetan antelope and is banned.
- ✗Kullu shawls are woollen shawls of Himachal Pradesh.
- ✗Phulkari is an embroidery of Punjab.
Quick tip
Remember: Pashmina = underfur of the Changthangi goat (Ladakh), woven in Kashmir, GI 2008; Shahtoosh = Tibetan antelope (chiru), banned.
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Paintings, Crafts, Dress & Tribes — Preparation
This question tests your understanding of Paintings, Crafts, Dress & Tribes, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.
This topic covers India's traditional painting styles (such as Madhubani, Warli, Pattachitra, Kalamkari, Gond and Tanjore), handicrafts and textiles, traditional dresses, and the major tribes of each state and their customs. It also includes Geographical Indication (GI) tags given to crafts and products. Questions usually ask which state a painting or craft belongs to, which tribe lives in a region, or what a traditional dress is called. Warli belongs to Maharashtra, Madhubani to Bihar, Pattachitra to Odisha and West Bengal, and Gond art to Madhya Pradesh. Grouping tribes by state, and noting the largest tribe of key states (such as the Bhils and the Santhals), helps with elimination. Practise the paintings, crafts and tribes questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.