Shawls are speciality of Himachal Pradesh. In summer, the wild Himalayan goat sheds its fleece on the high mountains. From this, the hill people spin and weave exceptionally fine and valuable shawls during winter, when the fields are covered with snow. Mostly notable of these is the soft Pashmina Shawl made from the hair of the Pashmina Goat. The exquisite shawls of the Himachal are both plain and designed. The colour of these, largely depend upon the wool, is mixed. The right mixture can result in beautiful greys, blues, mustards and blacks. If the designs of the Himachal Shawls are varied, so are also the methods of wearing them. Every district has improvised its style of drapping the shawl, the most popular styles being 'Dhobroo' and 'Pattu'.

Movement in embroidery! The Chamba embroiderer has captured it on his rumals. It may be mischivious Krishna at his pranks stealing butter, or dancing with Radha. It may be a lamenting women parted from her lover, or people frolicking at a local fair. All are worked in fine detail with vivid silks and in constrasting colours. The art of embroidery is largely based upon the indigenous Kangra and Chamba schools of paintings. The stitches are so closeby, spaced that no gaps are visible. The word 'Rumal' may conjure up visions of a handkerchief to the layman but to the Chamba people, it is a form of adornment. Men drape these colourful embroidered rumals over their shoulders and the women use them as flowing veils. A Chamba rumal is such a priceless possession, that a bride's trousseau would be incomplete without it. Today, Chamba rumal are also used as wall-hangings, door and fire screens, cushion covers while the designs have been adopted for table-cloth and bed-spreads.