Basohli Pashmina

About   Basohli Pashmina: 

• It is a hand-spun product known for extreme softness, fineness and light-weight, has insulating properties and extended life.
• Pashmina products include shawls for both men and women, mufflers, blankets and basket.
• Pashmina refers to a fine variant of spun cashmere (the animal-hair fibre), that is derived from the downy undercoat of the Changthangi.
• It is obtained from a breed of mountain goats (Capra hircus) found on the Changthang Plateau in Tibet and parts of Ladakh.
• A traditional producer of pashmina wool in the Ladakh region are a people known as the Changpa (nomadic people inhabit the Changthang plateau of Tibet).

Key facts about Geographical Indication Tag

• It is a sign used on products that have a specific geographical origin and possess qualities or a reputation that are due to that origin.
• This is typically used for agricultural products, foodstuffs, wine and spirit drinks, handicrafts and industrial products.
• The Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999 seeks to provide for the registration and better protection of geographical indications relating to goods in India.
• This GI tag is valid for 10 years following which it can be renewed.

Q1) Who are Changpa’s?

The Changpa are a semi-nomadic Tibetan ethnic group who primarily inhabit the Changthang Plateau, a high-altitude region in the northern part of Jammu and Kashmir. They are known for their traditional way of life, which revolves around herding and livestock farming, especially the rearing of Pashmina goats for their valuable wool.

Source: Jammu and Kashmir's famed Pashmina gets geographical recognition with GI tag