Shawl : The Honour of Indian Tradition

In earlier times, the shawl was essentially a male garment and the gift of a woolen shawl was a mark of respect. In the Indian Tradition, saints, sages and teachers were honored with the presentation of a shawl, and till today the master craftsmen of India are publicly draped with them as a sign of national homage to their art. The dasturs or priests of the Parsi Fir Temples wear a woolen shawl around their waist on ritual occasions; and the priests of Hindu temples offered shawls to princes and benefactors as a token of their blessings. In the tribal areas of the North east, honored guests were presented with the finest examples of local craftsmanship. In royal courts, kings gifted shawls to their nobles as a mark of favour; and the exchange of costly shawls between rulers was part of ceremonial protocol.