Kullu's famous shawls evolved from the pattu, the traditional dress of the valley. A three-meter length of hand-woven wool, the pattu is worn by women like a tunic, wrapped round the body and fastened at the front and over the shoulders. The pattu is still widely used by village women, usually worn on top of pajamas. Married women also wear a dhattu, or headscarf.



Men use to wrap the pattu like a shawl across their shoulders but it's rare to see a man wearing one these days. Men still often wear the Kullu top, a round woolen cap with a band of geometric design fixed at the front. If you're given a cap by a local (as opposed to buying one), you can consider yourself greatly honored.

When tourists first started coming to the valley 50 or so years ago, they were fascinated by the pattu but found it impractical for the plains. Then, the size was reduced, the decorated borders were narrowed, the motifs were shrunk-and the Kullu shawl was born.

The style, which usually consists of a plain of checked background with multicolored borders or bands made up of repeating geometric designs, has continued to evolve.

Subtler colours have been introduced, floral patterns have been added and motifs have been brought in from the neighbouring valley of Kinnaur. Mufflers, scarves, coats, bags and dress material are now available.

The wool is always hand-woven, either by individuals or by women working in cooperatives. Any machine-woven shawls you see will have been brought in from Punjab. These are likely to have some synthetic content and are not true Kullu shawls.

Shawls can be made from sheep wool, yak wool, angora, pashmina or a pashmina-wool mix. A shawl can cost anything from $10 to $ 50. Pure pashmina start at $100 and pashmina- wools from around $70. There are hundreds of showrooms in the valley-Bhuttico and Heritage both have good reputations.

Getting there

By air: Indian Airlines has a 9 am flight from Delhi to Kullu (Monday/ Wednesday/ Friday)

By rail: From Delhi, the nearest railhead is Chandigarh. The Kalka Shatabdi leaves 7.40 a.m and arrives 11 am. From here it's an 8-9 hour drive up.

Kullu is about 14 hours by bus from Delhi.

Where to go

The Bijli Mahadev temple for good views of the valley. The temple is famous for lightning strikes, which periodically shatter its shivalinga.

Nagger has a 15th century castle now converted into a hotel with a museum, and the Roerich art gallery.

Manali for the 16th century Hadimaba Devi temple and the Ganden Thekchokling Tibetan monastery. Visit Vashist and manikaran for their hot springs. Solang is popular for paragliding.

When to go

The most famous festival Dussehra takes place from October 15-21.

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