Woven with Wind and Wisdom

Looms of Ladakh is transforming pashmina into a symbol of women's empowerment and ownership

- By Insha Rashid

In the icy vastness of Ladakh's cold desert, where Changra goats graze at altitudes most humans can barely breathe, a small miracle of craft and courage is taking shape. Here, amidst prayer flags fluttering in the wind and ancient looms creaking with history, Looms of Ladakh is redefining luxury, and rewriting who gets to own it. At its heart is Abhilasha Bahuguna, a woman with a mind for economics and a soul tethered to the loom. "Our goal is to empower women to take ownership of their craft and actively participate in the market," she says.