Kelaghayi was borrowed from the Armenian term k'alałay (քալաղայ), meaning "silk kerchief" or "city-fashion women's head-covering".

[5][3] Kelaghayi is a four-cornered shawl woven from silk thread and worn by the Azerbaijani women as a symbol of chastity, respect, and devotion.

The process of making a kelaghayi takes two days and four separate artisans: the weaver, the dyer, the moulder (decorator), and ornamental master.

[7] The colours and patterns of kelaghayi often have meaning and importance for events like weddings, engagements, mourning periods, and daily life.

As a result, there would be three headdresses worn simultaneously: first, the juna (gauze), then the kelaghayi and finally a triangular headscarf called kasaba, sarandaz, or zarbab.

[citation needed] During the reign of Nicholas II, Sheki silk was used in making new five hundred notes in Russian empire.

[citation needed] In the year 1862, Sheki silk was awarded a medal at the international exhibition launched in London.

[10] Therefore, despite a certain distance between two regions, they connected with each other by “floss ties.” In 1870, Baskal kelaghayi was awarded a silver medal at a London exhibition.

Because it requires hard work, masterly skill and delicate feeling to dye the finished kelaghayi in a hot pot.

Colourful kelaghayis such as “Heyrati”, “Soghani”, “Istiotu”, “Albukhari”, “Abi”, “Yelani” gained fame in the Middle East and Caucasus peoples.

During the conflict arisen from different reasons, the people ceased fight when kelaghayi was thrown by a woman.

Today, the dynasties continuing this type of art produce kelaghayi with pleasure in Sheki city and Basgal settlement.

During different years the masters from Basgal and Sheki established the kelaghayi production not only in other regions of Azerbaijan but also in Georgia, Turkmenistan, Iran, Russia and Uzbekistan.