The origin of shawls in the world can be traced back more than 700 years. The first record comes from the Mughal period. By the 16th Century the Kashmir shawl industry was well-established. Mughal Emperor Akbar promoted the manufacture of shawls in Kashmir. He presented a gift of Kashmir "jamawar" shawl to the Queen of England.

The name Pashmina comes from pashm, the Persian word for wool. This wool comes from changthangi or ladakh or pashmina goat, a special breed of goat indigenous to high altitude of the Himalayas.

Due to the extreme weather conditions, the pashmina goats grow a special fur during winter. This fur is shed during spring and the fleece is caught on thorn bushes. Villagers scour the mountainside for the finest fleece to be used.

                           The Pashmina Goat - image courtesy: kashmir-rose.com

The winter fur that the goat grows is 1/6 the thickness of human hair. It is so fine that it cannot be spun by machines, so the wool is hand-woven into shawls, scarves, wraps, throws and stoles for export worldwide. The workmanship is so intricate and time consuming that some embroidered shawls take 2 to 4 years time to create.

 At Kaarigar we source the finest collection of pashmina directly from the artisans in Kashmir. 

In every shipment we put together we try to include a few items that aren't typically found in Vancouver - a 'Kaarigar Experiment' if you like. More than uniqueness - what we look for is an item with an engaging story that our clients can connect with. On this occasion it's the turn of the humble tiffin. A tiffin, or dabba (DUH-bah), is a simple lunchbox made up of stackable stainless steel compartments. While they're common throughout India, Bombay is where the tiffin has truly left it's mark. In Bombay, a hot meal for your office or school lunch is not seen as a luxury but a necessity. Moreover, Indians are notoriously picky when it comes to food (just ask). Home cooking is king here. This is where the tiffin comes into play. Every weekday morning in Bombay, a delivery system unlike any other on the planet swings into action. The system's goal: pick-up, deliver and then return each lunchbox on-time - a monumental task given the traffic, weather and number of tiffins. The people that take on this challenge are known as dabbawallahs - literally: box-carriers. They make their rounds of Bombay's neighbourhoods after the morning commute, collecting freshly prepared tiffins. Through a combination of bicycles, railway trains, a simple coding system and a handful of sorting checkpoints, the dabbawallahs are able to deliver a hot home-cooked lunch to schools and workplaces across the city. After lunch, the process is reversed and the empty lunchbox is returned home. The most remarkable aspect of the dabbawallah system is its unprecedented success rate - a recent study found that a tiffin is late or goes missing roughly once in every seven-million deliveries. This success rate is even more impressive considering that the dabbawallahs have a low level of literacy and that Bombay has a high level of road congestion. More recently, the system has gained recognition from the international business community and fame from Bollywood (see the movie 'Lunchbox'). Come by and pick out your own piece of this story.

The Singing Bowl, also called a Himalayan bowl, is known to be used by Buddhist monks since 600 B.C. It is most commonly known for sound therapy and space clearing, but there are other uses for it. The singing bowl can be used to balance our chakras, reduce stress and even sound massage. 

The sound produced by the singing bowl is that of the AUM –  the absolute. There are two basic ways of playing a Singing Bowl, you can either strike it with the wooden wand for percussive, pulsating tones; or you can encircle the edges repeatedly with the wand for a sustained effect.  Resting the singing bowl upon the palm of your hand will usually enable you to appreciate the experience to a greater depth than placing the bowl on a pad.

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NAMASTE

Yoga has become widely practiced worldwide. In the United States with growth to more than 20 million people since 2002. According to the U.S. News & World Report in 2015, yoga practice showed more growth than any other natural health therapy   

 The mention of the word "YOGA" conjures up images of super fit people posing in sometimes impossible looking "Asanas". Much of these poses do not exist in the real yoga. You do not have to be able to achieve these fancy poses to be considered a yogi. The core principle of yoga is to align your life to be in harmony with Mother Nature and be a good human being. 

The birth of yoga originally comes from the Vedas (ancient Hindu scriptures), which dates back between 4,000 to 5,000 years. Vedic knowledge was passed down from teacher to student through perfect memorization in the way of verses and poems. But it wasn’t until the second century B.C. that a sage named Patanjali outlined what is known today as the Eight Limbs of Yoga. 

An Overview of the Eight Limbs (Ashtanga) of Yoga 

 Here’s a brief overview of each of the eight limbs:

1. The Yamas are rules of moral code and include ahimsa (non-violence), satya (truthfulness), asteya (non-stealing), bramacharya (sexual restraint), and aparigraha (non-possessiveness).
2. The Niyamas are rules of personal behavior including saucha (purity), santosha (contentment), tapas (discipline or austerity), svadhyaya (spiritual studies), and Ishvara Pranidhana (constant devotion to God).
3. Asana refers to yoga postures but in Patanjali’s initial practice, it referred to mastering the body to sit still for meditation. The practice of yoga asanas came about eight centuries later, which helped disciples ready their bodies for meditation.
4. Pranayama are yoga breathing techniques designed to control prana or vital life force.
5. Pratyahara means withdrawal of the senses.
6. Dharana refers to concentration.
7. Dhyana is the practice of meditation.
8. Samadhi is merging with the divine.

As you can see, Asanas is just one small part of the way of life that has been prescribed. We do not see the 7 other key pillars being either practiced or taught. Try to incorporate these steps into your life and you will feel a sense of contentment.

We are unable to elaborate on each of the 8 Ashtangas here but there is enough information available on the web.

We are vulnerable to unethical marketing especially when it involves a science that is foreign to us. 

Comments/Opinions welcome.


 
 

1. Personal Space = Premium Real Estate There is a different understanding of personal space in India. It is, after all, a nation of over a billion people. Accept the fact that public areas such as elevators, queues, sidewalks and public transport will be more crowded than you're probably used to. That being said, don't be afraid to stand your ground when someone is particularly aggressive. A stern look in the right direction should do the trick.
2. There Will Be Noise Another byproduct of one billion inhabitants is noise. Regardless of what your wristwatch is telling you - if you're outside, your ears will know it. Once again, accept that cars will honk, music will blare, people will chatter and shopkeepers will yell. If you're a light sleeper - pack ear plugs. If you dislike loud vendors - pack an iPod too.
3. BARGAIN! Speaking of vendors, it's important to understand that India has a culture of bargaining. Bargaining, not cricket, is the national pastime (yeah I said it). They absolutely love it! Most prices are negotiable, and most prices are intentionally set quite high in anticipation of bargaining. You'll find this happens at street-side kiosks, shops at the mall and everywhere in between. Ask for the price, counter with a much lower figure and settle for something in between.
4. Escape to the Country If the crowds, noise and intense negotiations become overwhelming, it's time to get out of the city. Rural India differs greatly from her urban sister. Life is less hectic here. This is where yoga was born and where Buddha found nirvana. No trip to India is complete without experiencing the tranquility of the her countryside. It also gives you the perfect excuse to hop onboard India's legendary rail system.
5. Watch Your Feet In India, the foot is considered an unclean part of the body. You're expected to remove your shoes when you enter a home or holy place. If you see a doorway with several pairs of shoes placed around it, lose your footwear before proceeding. This means that you're going to need to slip in and out of your shoes regularly. Invest in a shoe or durable sandal that'll make your life a bit easier. Furthermore, be careful of how you use your feet. Simply showing the soles of your feet to someone is considered disrespectful so think before you kick back.

As we've mentioned, preparation is truly the key to a smooth visit to India. There's plenty of helpful information on this subject floating around on the internet so read up and travel safely!