BASOHLI PASHMINA (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Economy)

Context: Recently, Basohli Pashmina, a more than 100-year-old traditional craft from Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua district, has got the Geographical Indication (GI) tag.

Basohli Pashmina

• Pashmina Characteristics: Renowned for its extraordinary softness, fineness, and lightweight nature, Pashmina offers excellent insulation and durability.
• Variety of Pashmina Products: Pashmina encompasses a range of items, including shawls tailored for both men and women, mufflers, blankets, and baskets.
• Pashmina Origin: Pashmina specifically refers to a superior type of cashmere spun from the downy undercoat of the Changthangi, a breed of mountain goats (Capra hircus) dwelling on the Changthang Plateau in Tibet and portions of Ladakh.
• Changpa: The Changpa, a nomadic group inhabiting the Changthang plateau in Tibet, are traditional producers of pashmina wool in the Ladakh region.

GI Tag

• About: It is a symbol used on items that come from a particular geographical area and have qualities or a reputation linked to that place of origin.
• Nodal Ministry: Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
• Tenure: 10 Years
• Regulated By: Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration & Protection) Act, 1999.
• India’s First GI Product: Darjeeling Tea (2004-05)