I am going to write about the cashmere stole, which I had the very good fortune to see and touch (really important) when I visited Platt Hall on 27 February 2020 (seems a very long time ago).

I recall with this stole that when Ruth (or perhaps Rosie) looked at the written details, it became clear it was made in Kashmir, but specifically for the Far East Asian market. The three of us then had a conversation about this, as I thought the colours were not typically 'Indian'. I then spotted the shape of a Chinese dragon or serpent going in/out of the paisley which itself is Persian in origin. The paisley pattern became particularly popular in post-Mughal India, as shawls and stoles were imported to Europe through the East India Company. Those weavers must have had magic fingers as the embroidery is really beautiful.

Even though I have a British identity, my heritage lies in South Asia. My mother, who was very interested in handy crafts and art, used to have pieces of embroidery (inherited and bought) in the house and we regularly viewed craft exhibitions, hence my instant recognition.
Being a local to this area, whenever I will walk in the park past Platt Hall  – which is frequent -  apart from the image of Charles Worsley and the English Civil War which I always conjure up, I can now find a link through the textiles and embroidery to South Asia.

The irony for me is that the designs, colours (colours play a very important  symbolic role  in the religions and culture of South Asia) and motifs I saw pre-date the division of India in 1947. Following from this, in relation to the South Asian diaspora in Rusholme - majority of whom come from the north of the Indian sub-continent -  I  pose the question: can art, in its different manifestations, teach and empower people to open up their imagination to envisage a society where diversity of beliefs and culture can be a social asset and a source of strength?"

​Samar, Rusholme

Part of a shawl, embroidered cashmere, Indian, date unknown