14 Chapter6 PDF
14 Chapter6 PDF
14 Chapter6 PDF
Clothing is one of the most important primary needs of human being. This
relation of mankind with clothing is the relation with his body and soul. To known
human culture clothing plays a very vital role. It is due to the fact that clothing
only not only cover our body but also covers the vast arena of human culture. It is
clothing that expressed the tastes and choices of people. As mentioned earlier
during the stone age people used to wear bark and dry skin of animals to protect
them from heat and cold. With the progress of human civilization this place has
been occupied by handloom weaving. With the passage of time people have learnt
to apply different colour in wearing. This resulted in coming out of multicoloured
and beautiful clothes. Thus it has been noticed that with the change of motives of
the people there has been a great deal of changes in taste of choices. Likewise
there has been changes in culture also. Side by side the pattern of day to day life
of people has gone under great changes. Culture has become dynamic. This
human culture nicely reflects human thoughts, tastes – temperament, beauty, the
tradition and so innovative thinking. This evaluation of many weaving culture has
tremendous effect on culture and life.
It is known that Chinese queen Lingchi discovered the silk clothing five
thousand years ago. From China this weaving of silk cloth transported to Rome. It
is also known that some prince of Kashmir married a Chinese princess and the
prince is said to have brought silk cocoons to India. The tradition of silk and Muga
cocoon has been old culture of every Assamese household. (Manirupa Mishra
Article Asomiya Janajibanat Tat shal, Souvenir, 2011)
The costume is one of the basic needs of mankind which may lead men to
weave textile. Today, costume is a marked characteristic of any culture. The
fashion in dress is as interesting as any other fact of human self expression. The
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taste and tendencies of an age are clearly indicated by the type of costumes of that
period. When spinning and weaving culture entered in Assam is still a mystery.
From historic evidence, it may be assumed that the textile culture came into the
Brahmaputra valley from western and Eastern side. The allusion of Assamese
textile in different sculpture, inscriptions, manuscript, folk song, ancient literature
like the Ramayana, Mahabharata, Harshacharita, Kalikapurana, Yoginitantra
proves that the craft has been prevalent in this region from very past. The
sculpture gives an idea of dresses before 14th century. In that period, the Assamese
male wore dhuti as a lower garment and Uttariya used to cover upper part of the
body. They did not use chola (shirt) and only kept a paribyasa an waist. (Ref -
Bibliography)
The purana also stated the use of linen of Flex (tichi or machine) and
Hemp (shansuta) yarn. The Hemp cloths were in deep red colour and known as
„shanak’. (Ancient Assamese costumes & Designs (HRDC) Ed. Dr Jayanta Deva
Sarma, 2015, p13)
The Tripura Buranji provides information about the variety of the textiles
used in Ahom period. The Assamese costumes were determined in the Ahom era.
During the reign of Rudra Singha (1696-1714) A.D. the royal attire for men was
the churia (a kind of Dhuti made of muga worn such a way that the part of the
cloth hung in folds in front of the monarch), chola (shirt), Jama-chapkan chola
Frock type coat made of cotton or muga), Paguri (Turban) Buku chola (Tunic)
and Cheleng chaddar while the women wore two pieces of cloth i.e. the mekhela
(lower garment) and riha (upper garment). Rudra Singha first introduced Mughal
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dress – pag, jamaand ijar in Assam and faced severe criticism from his ministers.
The Ahom attire influenced the people associated with the satras (a devotional
place of Vaishnavism) of Assam. The Assamese „Satradhikar’ (Vaishnav Priest)
wear dresses like that of the Ahom ministerial or kings. Initially, the Ahom people
used black coloured dresses. But after they entered Assam, they opted for white
coloured dhuti-chola. (Saikia, 2004, p.19) The Ahom soldier wore Kalia kapor
(black dresses) in war. The black colour is prominently seen in the costumes of
the Khamti, Turung, Nara and phakiyal that belong to the Tai group. (Mazumder
Labanya, 2013) The turban and cheleng-chadar expresses the social status of
Ahom. From high rank official to low categories all used turban in Ahom
kingdom. Majority tied a piece of cloth called „Fachou’ on their head. The style of
dresses like Basawl (waist cover), Tangali (a cloth girdle) and Hashati (hand
towel) changed when Ahom came into contact with Chutiya and Bhuyan. These
three items were adopted initially by the Ahom king Dihingia Raja from the
Barabhuyans of North bank after shifting them to the South bank in 1505 AD.
Long shirts were generally used by kind and members of their ministerial. But the
size, style and colour of the shirt varied according to their status. Though
Assamese women wove all sorts of cotton and silk cloths, the Ahom king did not
allow complete freedom to all sections of the people to use dresses and ornaments
as they liked. The costumes made of muga and silk were not allowed to be worn
by common people. The Bhaga Raja allies Churampha prohibited the use of gold
ornaments and gold embroidered clothes by the ordinary people. The ordinary
male used bhumi or dhuti as their lower garment and „pacra’ or cheleng (light
wrappers) as upper wear. Moreover, the common man, i.e. the paik was not
allowed to wear dhuti reaching below his knees. It was the privilege of officers,
Satriyagosains and such other aristocratic people to have the favour of putting on
dhuties wide enough to cover the claves. The common people also wore Mirza
chola or Fatowa (a chest open T shirt cover up to waist) which was not allowed
for Karhi-paik. At the time of war, Ahom soldier wore Athur (a kind of churia),
chola (comfortably made for war), turban, tangaali and Kabash cloth. (Sarma
2003, p.38) It is also worth mentioning that, the Ahom frequently battled with the
Mughal. During the reign of Rudra Singha many Mughal elements came into the
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Assamese textiles. It is believed that the most exquisite brocade work known as
„Kingkhabs’ were executed here from that period. The „Kingkhab’ is actually a
inter weaving of coloured silk and gold threads to form an attractive floral motifs.
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6.2.3 Textile of present or modern age
The costumes used in medieval age like Mekhela, chaddar, riha, cheleng,
dhuti, gamocha are still in use in day to day life of the people. The fashion style
and aesthetic test of modern man gives completely a new shape of the old
traditional costumes. The traditional costumes are regular used in rural but in
urban it is used only in different festivals and rituals. (Sarma 2006, p.148) Textile
production is essentially a feminine craft among the Assamese plains except in the
Hajo circle where men also undertake weaving commercially. Cotton textile is
commonly produced by the weavers in the area under study. Eri silk yarn is used
occasionally to weave showls for use in winter, Muga silk yarn are not within the
rich of the common weavers. Silk weaving is less common as a household craft in
the area. It is in this region that silk weaving is undertaken on extensive scale. But
in recent days varieties of polyester yarns are gaining popularity in recent days in
the area under study.
The traditional costumes used in the plains of Assam and in Kamrup and
Hajo are presented in Table and described below as a whole within a common
framework –
Contd… Table-6.1
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5 Eri chadar (Eri shawl) 2.75x1.35 for It is a traditional winter garment
men
2.00x1.00 for
women
6 Riha/Angron (Breast 3.25x0.70 To use on top of the mekhela,
cloth) covering the breasts and upper
portion of the body. An important
item of married women‟s dress on
ceremonial occasions
7 Khania kapor (large 5.50x1.50 A cloth with socio-religious
cloth of fine arn) significance. Not for general use.
8 Barkapor (large cloth 5.50x1.50 As shawl/blanket in winter
of Eri yarn)
9 Gamocha/Mukhcha 1.50x0.80 As towel. An indispensible part of
(Towel type cloth) Assamese life and culture
10 Anakata (ceremonial Variable Different items for use as dhuti,
and sacred cloth) according to chadar, saree, gamocha for
the nature of wearing in specific socio-rituals
item occasions
11 Lungi (an item of 1.25x0.90 To cover the lower part of the
men‟s dress) body from waist down to the
ankles. Now-a-days extinct
12 Fata-kani- 2.40x1.35 As bed cloth and also as a
kapor/Talpara or Kani substitute for a blanket in poor
katha (cloth made families
partly of discarded
cotton cloth)
13 Paguri 0.40x3.00 Used as head gear by the men in
ancient time
Data collected during field survey and Data collected from some published books.
All the costumes has been woven in the study region and a brief disruption
has been given below-
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Churia or Dhuti
Mekhela
In medieval age it was the main female dress. It was worn round the waist
and covering down to the ankle-joints with giving 2-3 plaits in the front. It was
worn in combination with chaddar. When it was worn round the breast and covers
down to knee then the style was called „methoni mara’ which followed by
different ethnic groups of Assam. The idea of „mekhela’ originates from the Vedic
word „Mekhola’ (Neog, 1965, p.26-27). Though the two ends of this piece were
stitched but initially it was an unstitched cloth with 1.35 x 0.90 meters in size. It
entered Assam by the Tibbeto Barma (Kachari) and Ahom. (Saikia 2006, p.25)
Different traditional motifs like Kalka, mogar, flower, creeper, tree and butterfly
were found in mekhola. Generally, mekhelas were woven with cotton, muga, eri
and silk yarn and called as Kapahi (cotton) mekhela, Pat or muga ba Mugar Uka
(palin mulberry silk or muga) mekhela, pat-muga or kapahi phulam (mulberry
silk, muga or cotton floral) mekhela, gunakata mekhela (adorned with golden or
silver threads) mezangkari mekhela (woven with mezangkari silk), gomcheng
mekhela (woven with a kind of fine Chinese silk), Khing-khap mekhela etc.
(Mazumder Labanya, 2013, pp.83)
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Ghagra, Ghuri and Ijjar
Like other part of India, the ghagra was a waist cloth used in different
theatrical performance i.e. bhaona and band singers. Ghuri was a skirt like lower
garment. Material used for ghuri is pat silk yarn. The sutradhara of Bhaona and
Gayon Bayan or Yoja (the members of the band of singers and dancers) wore
Ghuri. The dancer was called „Natua’ in the satras. The ordinary dancers who take
participate in Bihu dance also used Ghuri. It is adorned with a border of floral
design at the lower.
Cheleng
It was a white plain longitudinally woven sheet of cloth. The cloth was six
cubits in length and 3 cubits in breadth having the two ends embroidered with
muga yarn or golden thread or other coloured thread or sometimes without any
decorative work. The one end of these costumes was hung to the front over the left
shoulder taking it across the back under the right arm and hung over the left
shoulder to the back. In medieval age it was a popular costume amongst the male.
The silk cheleng (patar-cheleng) was worn by bridegroom as part of the wedding
dress.
Chadar/Upreni
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The chadar traditionally of the size 2.75 x 1.25 metres in generally woven
out of fine cotton yarn, occasionally blended with rayon and acrylic yarn in
present days. Muga and pat silk chadars were also woven by the Assamese
weavers till very recent years. These days such chadars are not produced much in
the home looms. Like silk mekhela, the production of silk chadars now is largely
a commercial affair in silk producing centres at Sualkuchi and other production
centres. The design used in mekhela is woven in the chadar to make a complete
set. But chadars are also woven as separate pieces to go with any mekhela chadar.
Eri-chadar is woven out of eri silk in the size 2.75 x 1.35 meters for men
and 2.00 x 1.00 metres for women. It is used as a shawl in winter. Eri-chadar is an
important item of textile among the plain Assamese as well as many other
neighbouring communities. It is very much in demand in the entire Northeastern
region. The hill tribals of the neighbouring region covet eri-chadar very much.
This way, it may be regarded as an element of inter-cultural unity.
Riha / Augron
Riha is woven out of cotton, muga and pat. Rayon is also used
occasionally with cotton. Riha is popularly called augron in Lower Assam. The
latter is generally made of cotton. Geometric arrangement of lines and bars with
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different colours in ribbed pattern (called Kech) are the traditional ornamentations
used in Riha. Floral paisley and geometrical designs worked with dyed cotton
yarn) or gold threads are also used as ornamentation.
Khania
Barkapor
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waste). Barkapor is generally not ornamented. Occasionally cotton specimens are
decorated with bold cross, borders. Where so decorated it is called phulam-
barkapor. Reference to this cloth in Assamese folk songs indicate that it has an
important culture significance. Though the costume was not ornamented but
occasionally design worked at one end of the cloth. The weaving of such a large
piece of cloth is regarded as an achievement and the weaver is appreciated for her
feat.
Gamocha
Gamocha is basically a textile item which is used to wipe the body and
face. But it is a piece of cloth, having multiple uses and meanings. Gamocha is an
indispensable part of Assamese life and culture, intricately and intimately woven
into the social fabric of Assam. It is not merely an item of multipurpose physical
convenience. Its services extend far beyond the body into the sphere of mind and
soul (Das N.D). It has come to acquire distinctive symbolic significance in the
non-tribal plains Assamese socio cultural life. In many rural Assamese homes,
weaving of gamocha is a must even if the loom is not used for other textiles. The
women also lavish considerable care and attention in weaving intricate designs
along the cross borders of gamocha.
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nut by men and women when they travel or go for work out of the house. The
gamocha of the size 2.00 x 0.90 meters is used as an item of men‟s causal dress to
cover the lower part of the body as a loin cloth. Gamocha is also used as a girdle
named tangali and turban called murbandha (in lower Assam) on ceremonial
occasions. It is woven generally in the size 2.00 x 0.50 meters.
In the original concept, tangali represents the love of the mother for her
warrior son and the wife for her husband going to the battle field. It was believed
that this piece of cloth, where every thread is charged with potent love of a mother
or a wife, would protect the son or the husband from dangers in the battlefield. At
present tangali has acquired a new significance as another type of bihuwan (bihu
gift). It graces the waist of the bihu dancer as a girdle. Gamocha is used as a
turban cloth by men on such festive occasions with the flaps flaunting at the side.
The gamocha now-a-day has become an additional item of dress. On festive or
ceremonial occasions, it is neatly folded and worn around the neck. Further, it is
customary to offer the gamocha to distinguished guests invited to the socio-
cultural and religious functions. The gamocha is widely being used as an item of
cultural identity of the plains Assamese. It would not be wrong to say that
gamocha has become a visible symbol of Assamese ethnic identity.
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There is also a sacred side of the gamocha. It is woven with all purity for
the purpose of using on the thapona (altar) in the namghar (prayer hosue) of the
Assamese Vaishnavites. In such cases it is called Gosain-Kapor Gods cloth). It is
decorated with designs, rationally meant only for this cloth. These clothes are
either red with ornamentation in white with designs in red. The thoga (wooden
book rest), on which the Kirtana and the Bhagawata, the sacred books are placed,
must be covered with highly decorated gosain-kapor. Not only in Namghar, in
Assamese Hindu homes also, gosain-kapor is used at the household altar. It is
customary to offer a new gosain-kapor to the God in the Assamese New year‟s
day during Bohag Bihu festival.
Anakata
A lot of hard work goes into weaving this cloth. Further, this has to be
woven very smoothly, evenly and without causing any damage. It has its
significance as ceremonially pure cloth called yatrar-Kapor and is prescribed with
care.
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Traditionally, a new born baby is first wrapped in an anakata woven for
the purpose. Anakata dhoti, chadar, gamocha are required on ceremonial
occasions such as chura-karan (the ceremony of tonsure) and Upanayan (the
ceremony of investiture with sacred thread) among the Brahmins and at wedding
among all castes. There is a genuine need for preserving the tradition of weaving
such culturally valuable textile items that can never become commercially
available.
Chola (shirt)
In medieval period, men used different kind of shirts. But, the women-folk
when began to use blouse or other jacket type cloth, it has, no any definite records.
However, in the book- „Puraani Asamar Silpa’ (Handique, 1959: 57) stated the
use of a kind of blouse with long hand and ornamented with flowers off golden
threads. Generally, aged women worn long sleeves blouse. (Ahmed 2006, p.65)
Instead of that the women also used a round-necked and half sleeved blouse where
the ends of the sleev adorned with a border of floral motifs. The history reveals
that the Ahom king Rudra Singha first brought to Assam the specimen of shorts of
different colour and design from different provinces of India. Probably, Muslim
women first introduced stitching cloth, amongst the Assamese people. They
prepared „Anchali chola’ (a shirt for a region), male shirt and Oronikani (a vail
cloth for women). (Phukan 1987, p.30) The king, ministers and other high
officials began use shirt which known as „chauga’ and „chapkan’ in the style of
the Moghals. Different types of male shirt used in medieval period were – Enga-
chola (it is a tunic type vestment, reaching to the knee). This type of long Robe
generally made by muga cloth. Buku-chola (it reaching to the waist and the sleeve
were extended up to the elbow, Mijai-chola (a sort of coat or jacket like the buku-
chola), chapkan (a kind of surcoat (over coat) or robe reaching to the knee, used
by the officials only. The Ahom king also used chapkan made by kingkhab,
majankari and gomseng silk yarn which decorated with golden thread), chauga (it
is a cassock like drapery, worn over the chapkan), Rupar-beridia-chola (a kind of
costly shirt bordered with silver worn by kings), Jama-chola (an ornamental shirt
used by bride groom), Phatuwai (an ordinary type of shirt popular among the
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common people), Gom-chengchola (this type of shirt was made with fine Chinese
silk having designs of followers like those on the body of the snake called Gom),
Jali chola (net type garment) khara chola’ (this garment impregnated with alkali),
Hallow chola (the grandmother of Assamese family generally used this type of
sleeveless hallow chola (a maxi type short) under riha, chadar and mekhela to
cover her whole body. (Ancient Assamese Costumes & Designs, HRDC, 2015,
pp.18)
Tangali (Girdle)
The tangali was a piece of cloth about 4 to 5 cubits in length and about 2
(two) cubits in worth. The ends of cloth extremely ornamented with coloured
threads. It was a waist wrapper worn by males or used as belt to gird the waist and
the two decorated ends suspended on the front. It was made from varieties of silk
such as mulberry silk, muga and endi. Sometimes cotton yarn also used in tangali
(west band). The two ends of tangali trimmed with fringes besides having floral
motifs. The young boys tied red tangali on their waist when they performed bihu
huchori. The white tangali was one of the special value added clothes used in
satriya dances. The front of the tangali beautified by dohi knitting. Some people
called tangali as „Anna kapor’.
Hachati
The hachati was a small narrow cloth having 1 x 1.5 foot size. Man used it
for holding betel nuts. The lining of hachati was called a pakharutang prepared by
joining of different pieces of coloured cloth to kept the betel nuts.
Lungi
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Fata-Kani-Kapor/Talpara or Kani Katha (cloth made partly of discarded
cotton cloth)
Swal or Scarf
It is an upper garment used by both male and female during winter. One
end of the shawl is kept on the left shoulder and the other end covering the back
and the chest finally kept on the left shoulder. It may be of various kinds. Some
have adorned with a border of floral design woven on all the four sides of the
garment. Some endi shawl used by males is devoid of any ornamentation. Some
shawl are adorned with a boarder of intricate floral design on both ends. The size
of the shawl worned by female is length 2.16 m and Breadth 0.89 m. shawl
worned by male is 2.75 m length and 1.25 m breadth.
The Loin loom and throw-shuttle loom (also called country loom)
constitute the traditional type of loom in Assam. These looms have very simple
devices, but each type possesses certain special features. In ancient times the fly-
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shuttle loom is not widely used in rural homes of Assam. A brief description of
the looms used traditionally in Assam is presented below –
Loin-Loom
The loin-loom is the common loom used in the hill areas of Assam. This
loom is very simple, portable and convenient to erect and dismantle. The concept
texture of the cloth woven in a loin loom and its intricate designs are the most
important factors for which the loin-loom has still not lost its popularity. It would
be mentioned that the loin-loom is widely used by the hill tribes all over northeast
India. In fact it is a part and parcel of the tribal textile tradition. In the plains, it is
still retained to some extent, by groups which migrated from the hills in the past
i.e. Tai-Phakes. The loom has no frame or super structure, but it consists of two
vertical bamboo poles between which another bamboo pole is kept horizontally.
Few pieces of stout bamboo and wooden rods of varying thickness with a wooden
beating sword are used as the accessories of the loom. Such types of looms are not
available in the study region.
Throw-shuttle Loom
The throw shuttle loom is the most common and traditional loom used by
all communities in the plains of Assam. The accessories required for the existing
throw-shuttle loom are very simple and can easily be made out of indigenous
materials, mostly bamboo and wood. As such it is easily accessible to the rural
folk of Assam. The frame on which, the loom is suspended consists of stout posts
which are driven into the ground forming a rectangle. The posts are joined at the
top by cross beams. The other parts of the loom are the warp and cloth beams,
reed, slay, pulleys treadles, temples, shuttle etc. Unfortunately such types of looms
also extinct from the region due to the commercialization of the industry.
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The ordinary throw-shuttle loom fitted with the fly-shuttle slay has however
become popular among the weavers in the region.
It has been marked that use of fly-shuttle loom is more popular among the
weavers in the region. Factors like easy availability of fly-shuttle loom and the
awareness of the rural people about the merits of weaving in this loom have
contributed towards its popularity in the villages. Besides, the loom itself the
major accessories traditionally used in weaving in the region are –
1. Letai: A small cone-shaped device to wind yarn while sizing prior to warping.
2. Chereki: A truncated cone-shaped bamboo frame, used as a device to place the
hanks.
3. Ugha: A small bamboo frame, shaped like an elongated barrel. It is an
indigenous device to wind the warp yarns.
4. Chiri, Sali: A few bamboo splited sticks flat and round used for different
purposes during the process of warping, weaving and for ornamentation.
5. Rachbhara: An awl to pass the yarn through the reed.
6. Bao-chunga: Bamboo pipe approximately about 35 to 40 cm in length and 8
cm in diameter. It is used for drafting the healds in the indigenous process.
7. Yatar (Charkha): The winder mostly used to wind the bobbins for weaving.
8. Maku: The shuttle to pass the pick across the warp-shed.
The old looms their constituents parts and accessories were often
decorated by carving the different sections into animal and floral shapes and were
lavishly painted with indigenous colours. The loom and the accessories still have
their socio-cultural significance. It has been found that the status of a family in the
society is often judged by how old are the looms and accessories that the family
possesses. An old loom continuing in a family is regarded as an heirloom. Use of
ivory shuttle in the olden days as mentioned by Baruah (1963: 132) indicates the
glorious past of the textile tradition in Assam. (Labanya Mazumder 2003, p.106)
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Photo Plate No. 6. 1 : Traditional Textiles
Decorated Mekhela
132
Pat Cheleng
Pat Chadar
Cotton Chadar
133
Kania Kapor
Gosain Kapor
134
Bar Kapor
Anakata
135
Gutmali Angur
136
Parijat Mala Krishna Yasoda
137
Sankha Chakra Lata Bahari
138
Lungi
Tangali
139
Hasati Ghuri
Gosain Tapana
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Photo Plate No. 6.2: Different Types of Shawls
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Photo Plate No. 6.3: Modern Textiles
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143
Khasi Dhara Karbi Pecock
144
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Modern Strive Design
The term design is used to convey different meanings. In a broad sense the
term implies a composition produced by integration of different elements for some
specific purpose or intention. Design in a general way is divided into five broad
categories, viz, naturalistic, stylized, geometric, abstract and structural.
Naturalistic designs are those that are drawn from flowers, leaves, plants,
animals, landscapes etc. The motifs are kept realistic to provide an authentic
image of nature. In stylized designs the motifs do not exactly maintain the image
of the natural object. Usually, the lines are simplified and conventionalized. At
Sometime the lines are also distorted.
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Geometric designs are based on the true forms of circle, square, triangle,
rectangle, diamond shaped etc. Endless variations and combinations of these basic
geometric forms are used. Although many geometric designs are derived from
nature, these cannot be easily related to their respective natural sources of
inspiration. The term symbolic is applied to such arrangements. The use of
symbols to express ideas thoughts or wishes is termed as symbolism.
Abstract designs are mostly based on geometric forms, yet the abstract
implies an element of impressionalism and a greater freedom as compared to most
geometric designs. The designs are called structural when the structure of an
object forms the design. Simplicity is the main feature of structural design.
Not only decorative motifs or designs, colour too plays a vital role in the
textile tradition of Assam. But indigenous weavers produce attractive designs of
various shades in different textile items. The emphasis on weaving attractive
designs has always been a characteristic of this craft in the region. The creative
urge of the women and their eye for beauty found expression in embellishing even
such a simple, functional piece of textile like gamocha as discussed earlier with
captivating motifs and designs. The talent of the Assamese weaver to be able to
reproduce on fabric even the design that appeared in a dream is thus, the theme of
an Assamese folk song:
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“Moromor dighadi senehar bani loi
Which literary means “oh my beloved, do take the bihuwan with all your
heart; have woven it with the warp of my love and weft of my affection. It is
bordered with my lender desire and adorned with dreamy flowers.”
The term traditional is often applied to motifs and designs which have
been handed down from generation to generation without losing their original
characteristics. These designs are mostly geometric and symbolic in nature. So far
as ornamentation of textile is concerned, the designs refers to the arrangement of
motifs or units either as border, buti, butia, all over pattern or other regular or
irregular plans. This chapter deals with the motifs and designs used by the
indigenous weavers in Assam for ornamentation of textiles. An attempt is also
made to give an illustrative presentation of traditional motifs and designs.
The handloom fabrics of Assam are known for their various indigenous
artistic designs. The designs are brought out by means of employing an additional
layer of dyed yarn or gold and silver threads depending on the base material.
These extra yarns for design normally float over the main interlocking of warp
and weft. This traditional technique is called the extra-weft technique.
The motifs and designs in the traditional textiles of the region are unique
and distinctive in many ways. These are found to be indigenous in their source of
inspiration and carry specific meaning and significance in the socio-cultural life of
the people of Assam. No professional designers is found there. The traditional
weavers imagined the designs and motifs and are adopted by themselves in their
looms. Motifs and designs of distinctive characteristics emanated from different
sources and cultural backgrounds have also played a significant role in shaping the
character of motifs and designs among Assamese weavers.
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Objects of nature constitute the main source of inspiration for motifs and
designs used in the ornamentation of textiles in the region. To embellish these
objects in weaving, these are simplified conventionalized and to some extent
distorted. Thus, the textile motifs in the region are more stylized than naturalistic.
The very large number of motifs and designs found in different textile items, old
scraps of design and in old design catalogues in the course of field investigation
are grouped in four categories viz., Floral and plant motifs, Animal motifs,
structural motifs and geometric motifs. The cognatic perception of the diverse
elements of physical environment is clearly manifested in these motifs. It is not
merely a matter of cognition, but also a reflection of the ability of the weavers to
select those items that can be rendered artistically in textile through weaving.
Some of these motifs and designs are ploted on graph.
The floral and plant motifs offer unlimited scope for the adornment of
textiles. Flowers from the simplest and smallest configuration to those with well-
defined petals are found in the textiles of Assam. The simplest floral motif found
is a small circle or dot with short radiating lines on all sides. This seems to be
most popular in the region. Some of the common flowers such as Champa
Michelia chamnaca), Gutimali, Nahar (Mesua ferrea) etc. are mentioned clearly
in Assamese folk songs which is related with traditional weaving. Aou-phul
(flower of Dillenia indica) is found to occupy a vital place in the textile design in
the study area.
Big bold flowers in stylized and geometric forms, which used singly as
buta or as a unit in the design, are often found in the textiles in the region. Some
of them are categorized as wild flowers without any specific name. it is regarded
as a symbol of success. It is still used in the Golaban (presently called aronai)
which has the distinct cultural significance. Padum (lotus) and golap (rose) are
two flowers commonly found in the textiles produced traditionally in the region.
These two flower motifs are however never used in mekhela traditionally since
these are generally used in fabrics of religious importance.
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A design consisting of many flowers combined in a large spray, ( Labanya
Mazumder), is the most common traditional design in the region and are used
even in present days also. Similarly gach (plant) and lata (creeper) are abundantly
used in the textiles in the area. Varieties of gach designs from simplest
configuration to the most intricate ones, are suitably used as butas (motifs) in the
textile items produced in different areas under study. These plants are so stylized
that no specific name can be given to them. The gach design combined with the
bird motifs is often termed as Miri design (the design of the Miris, now called
Mising). But it is interesting to note that on the contrary this design is not at all
popular among the Misings.
The leaves of castor (era) plant and wood apple (bel) also occupy an
important place in the textile design of Assam. Rearing of eri silk cocoon is a
common feature in the rural and tribal areas of the state. As such patches of era
plants (leaves of which are fed to the eri silk worms) are invariably seen in the
compounds of rural households. Looking at the attractive shape of the era leaves,
the indigenous weavers must have been inspired and adopted the leaf in their
textile design. The design is named era-patia. Bel is a sacred plant for the Hindus
and its leaves are highly sanctified. Leaves of bel constitute an important item in
shakta mode of worship among the Hindus. The trifoliate arrangement of bel
leaves has thus, found its way into weaving as a motif in fabrics used in religious
occasions in the plains of Assam and in the area under study.
The running motifs called lata (creeper) is used as textile design either
singly or along with other motifs. The simplest form of lata found traditionally is
named according to the number of Kathi (the picks of the design). Chata Kathir
lata, rata kathir, lata egharo kathir lata having six, nine and eleven picks
respectively are examples of such lata. Besides these, latas named after their
leaves and flowers are also found. Dhekia (ferm), lengeci (wood sorrel) and many
other varieties of annual weeds and herbs grow commonly around the rural
domiciles. Even these have captured the imagination of the women and they have
suitably adopted such items as designs on their looms. The power of observation
and tremendous capability of the indigenous weavers to render objects of nature
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into textile motifs has contributed towards the enrichments of the textile tradition
of the area.
Kalka (Paisley), the most common and traditional design in Indian textiles
is also used extensively in the textiles of Assam and also in the land of Hajo. It is
a mango shaped motif with curved ornate top. The popular name of this mango
shaped motif is known as magor. The spaces within the Kalkas of large size are
embellished generally with plant motifs, mainly creepers.
The kalka designs was probably adopted from the old Gomcheng and
Kingkhap which were often lavishly adorned with kalka. In the textile tradition of
Assam, Kalka suits best the corners of chadar, khania-kapor etc. However Kalkas
of various sizes are used singly as buta or as a unit in the border designs in the
area under study.
Pankata and Kasari or basani are two other terms often used to denote
certain textile designs in the study area. In Pankata the leaves, flowers and kalkas
in stylized form are arranged systematically in the manner of an individual betel
leaf (pan) to form a border. There is no separate design named Kasari. The
pankata and fine creeper, used on one or both the sides of a major design, are
often called Kasari.
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6.5.2 Animal Motifs
A variety of animal motifs like butterfly, peacocks, elephant, tiger, fish etc.
cleverly adopted in stylized form with a minimum of lines occupy an important
place in the textile design of Assam and particularly in the area under study.
Fish, lion, tiger, elephant, deer, goat etc are other animal motifs in highly
stylized form found in the textiles in the area. Fish, lion and tiger are rarely seen in
the textiles of the area under study. The old designs catalogues depict the lion
simply or in combination with the peacock .
Some of the animal motifs found in the textiles of Assam. Although the cat
and bear are not seen as motifs in textiles yet such motifs are weaved in the loom
hanging in the drawing room and reflects so much beauty in the motifs.
The human figure like bihuwaty (dancing bihu dance), some women sitting
in her loom or as a man riding a horse or elephant appears frequently in the
textiles in the area in the old design catalogues.
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6.5.3 Structural Motifs
The small diamond motif with a dot in the centre is very commonly found
in textiles in the region. It is called gunaphutuki by the plain Assamese. The term
literally means „gold dots’. Another design having a diamond within a diamond
with a dot in the centre is named daothogodo by the Bodo-Kacharis. It symbolizes
the pattern made by feathers in the neck of a dove.
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traditional design, where the geometrical forms are conceived intrically is a
symbol to wish success. It is believed that having a cloth with such a design will
bring success to the person in a law suit (mokardama).
The stylized flower, plant and birds are often arranged in combination with
geometric motifs symbolizing lotus and other flowers. These designs are highly
valued by the older generation of women who look down upon the recently
adopted innovative designs. Few such designs as used in gosain-kapor only meant
to cover the thapona (altar) and thus the name thapona phul. A close observation
of geometrical designs reveals that these are essentially symbolic in nature. Use of
geometric designs in traditional weaving may be regarded as an achievement in
symbolic communication.
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present as a means of commercialization this design is spread all over Assam and
specially in the clothes woven in Sualkuchi. While discussing symbols and
designs in the textiles in the region, that with the gradual break-up of tribal
authority and tradition some of the designs are becoming a little fussy. Their
simplicity has been disturbed by addition of flowers, animals and other ornaments.
It is also revealed that with the external influences on the traditional geometric
designs and also due to the improvement of weaving technique because of
commercialization of the industry contemporary designs have become non-
symbolic and more vivid. These are becoming more and more innovative or a
mixture of tradition and innovation.
The design are worked by the weavers in the region from the old scraps of
design or from a separate design catalogue. Instances of working out the design
etched in memory were also found during field investigation. Most of the weavers
have a good collection of designs of their own. Among the weavers in the region,
the preservation of design itself is an art which evolved through different stages.
Information collected from the traditional bearers in this regard revealed that in
the olden days the simple design worked on a banana leaf (Kalpat) was given to
the young girls for learning the technique of incorporating the design in weaving.
Since banana leaf was not durable, the design was subsequently worked on the
thick sheath of leaf of areca palm tree (dhakua) shows the preservation of design
in the above mentioned methods.
With the limitation of preserving design even on the leaf of areca palm
tree, the indigenous weavers have developed yet another method. In this, the
design are woven on a warp of coarse yarn with fine bamboo sticks or thatching
grass as the pick of the design. It is called ghai or kathi-chaneki. The design are
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generally woven in a narrow width about 40 to 50 cm, while the length varies
according to the availability of designs and material. This sort of design catalogue
can be preserved comparatively for a longer period. The indigenous weavers
consider these catalogues as valuable articles and would never part with them.
Such design catalogues are not generally made nowadays. The weavers collect the
designs on net like cloth where the designs are worked with niddle . Use of graph
paper to draw the design is also adopted and gaining popularity in the present
days.
But in the village Sualkuchi the designs were preserved in card from a
very earlier days as it is now also. The cause is that the weaving tradition at
Sualkuchi is performed with pat silk and Muga (golden thread). They designed
their fabric with the help of card fitted in a Machine called „dobua’. At present
also the designs are preserved in the same mode. As the wave of Sualkuchi is
spread in the entire Hajo circle the traditional weavers in the region has also been
converted their industry to commercialization with Muga and Pat silk and the
mode of preservation of design catalogues is also followed as like as Sualkuchi.
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Photo Plate No. 6.4: Traditional Motifs and designs
Small diamond with a dot denotes an eye, Mekuri Khujia (pug marks of cat)
gold dots
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Dhar-phul symboilises river current Hanh-padum phul (swau with lotus)
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Pakhila (butterfly)
Babari lata (creeper having annual
chrysanthemum flower motif)
Juria mora (Two peacock facing each other) Golap lata (creeper with rose)
Singha (Lion)
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Chata-kathir lata (Creeper design having six picks)
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Chira khoa phul (creeper with flowers and pods)
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Tengeci lata (Wood sorrel creeper)
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6.7 Traditional Textile Technology of weaving
The need for costume originated with mankind‟s needs for coverage and
protection from elements of nature. Later it becomes a means of adornment to
help enhance beauty and reflect social factors such as religious symbol, personal
identity and status.
For fulfilling our basic needs to cover and protect our body i.e. cloth which
is technically known as Fabric. For preparing this fabric the raw materials is yarn.
Yarn is manufactured from different types of fibres. These fibres may be mainly
originating from nature or it may be manmade. Among the natural fibres cotton is
the king of fibers and silk is the queen of fibres. After passing various stages the
yarn is prepared from the fibres. To become a textile fibre, the fibres should have
some definite properties. From that fibres only the yarn can be prepared.
Sizing – Sizing is carried out in that types of yarn which are single weak and
ununiform in nature. Sizing is a coating of size mixture which is overlap on the
surface of the yarn and it makes the yarn strength, rounder in shape and uniform in
diameter. In case of twisted yarn which may be used as preparing the warpsheet
sometimes sizing process is done. But generally in case of single yarn only, sizing
process is carried out.
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Rice starch is most commonly used in sizing the yarns. In this process,
required quantity of water, broken rice and yarns to be starched (by hank) are put
together and boiled till the rice is cooked properly. A few drops of coconut oil are
often added to make the yarn pliable.
While preparing eri or muga yarn for warping, the yarn is soaked for
sometime in a light starch solution, but never boiled. Various indigenous
substances are added to make the yarn pliable and strong. After being wrung out,
the yarns are dressed with indigeneous device hank by hank. This is absolutely
necessary in case of fine yarns. These are dried and wound generally on bobbin
for warping. Now-a-days readymade yarn for pat or muga fabric has been
supplied from outside.
Warping – When required numbers of bobbins or Ugha are made then it is ready
for warping process. The bobbins are fitted on creel stand for carrying out the
warping process. After fitting the bobbins in creel the ends of the bobbins are
passed through the hank frame to maintain the lease. Lease means to divide the
warp threads into 1:1 ratio or 2:2 ratio. When the lease is prepared the ends are
passed through the dent of the reed according to the denting order. After that the
ends are knotted together and put it on the nails of the drum. The length of the
warp is depend on the circumference of the drum and section is depend on the
count of reed and number of bobbins fitted on creel. When required length and
width of warpsheet is prepared then this sheet is ready for beaming.
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Denting – In denting the warp threads are drawn through the dents of the reed by
two in general and more or less according to the character of a pattern the
indigeneous process of denting. It is done with the help of a hook and the yarns
are placed on a round bamboo stick.
Drafting or heald knitting – The strong cotton thread available for the purpose is
traditionally used as heald. The twisted cotton threads made out of left over yarns
from the looming are also used by the weavers in the areas. The beam, so prepared
is then placed just on the floor level against two posts and held tight by fixing it
also with two temporary posts. This helps to keep the yarns in uniform tension
which is essential in heald knitting. The flat bamboo sticks in the wrap used as
lease-rods are kept upward causing a slight opening on it. One end of the heald is
then passed through this opening from right to left and the knitting is done with a
round bamboo pipe.
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Raw materials
The production of pat silk in Assam is not sufficient to meet the demand of
the indigenous weavers. Moreover the rural weavers are unable to purchase the
silk yarn brought from outside the state by the traders because of high price. As a
result the weavers of pat silk in the study region is suffering in yarn constraints in
running the loom.
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6.8 Textile Dye
It is believed that the dyeing was first introduced in India. The dyed cotton
fabrics recovered from the Indus valley excavation is proved that the art of dyeing
was practiced first in India. On the other hand, in Indian History at about 2500
BC, the coloured silk and gold brocade are used by Rajas Maharajas and it was
transmitted gradually to different countries like China, Persia, Egypt etc. In that
time earliest dyes were invented. The earliest dyes were discovered accidently
from available berries, fruits and nuts which are generally use for fooding
purpose. Later blossoms, leaves, stems and roots of shrubs or barks and twigs of
tree all are used as main ingredients of Natural or vegetable dyes. (Jayanta Deva
Sarma, 2000-2001)
History reveals that there has never been any class of people among the
indigenous groups, who engaged themselves solely to the practice of dyeing as a
source of livelihood. The yarns were dyed by the weavers with the indigenous dye
till the recent past. It has been observed that details of dye-stuffs and the process
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of dyeing are often guarded as secrets and are not disclosed to outsiders. This
seems to be one of the factors for which the present generation is not aware about
their indigenous dyes and the methods of dyeing. However information on some
of the revealed indigenous dyes of Assam used till the very recent past collected
from old and knowledgeable individuals in the study areas are stated below –
(i) Achugach
A red dye was obtained by evaporation method from the liquid in which
stick lac had been washed. Dyeing of eri silk in lac dye was very common,
especially among the Karbis till very recent years. Leaves of an indigenous plant
called tamchir were boiled in the dye solution as mordant.
It is small herbaceous annual plant with radical leaves that arise from the
underground rhizome. The rhizome, a common product locally known as haladhi
yields a rich, yellow dye.
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(v) Rum (Strobilanthes flaccidifollns)
The bark of silikha (Terminalia chebula) tree alone or along with the bark
of jamu Engenia Tambolana) amlakhi (phyllanibns emblica) were also used to
obtain the black dye. The barks are pounded together and boiled in water. The
yarn or the cloth to be dyed is steeped into the dye bath when cold. The dyed
articles are immersed in the same solution several times rising and drying in
between till the required black shade is obtained.
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(ix) Jorot (Bixa orellana)
The shrub cultivated all over the region for the sake of golden yellow dye.
The dye obtained from the seeds was most commonly used for muga besides the
dyeing of cotton. The seeds were boiled in water along with ash obtained from
burning of banana plant. The yarn and cloth was immersed in the dye bath and
allowed to boil for five to ten minutes. The vessel was then removed with the dyed
article still the dye solution and allowed to cool. The dyed articles were properly
rinsed and then dried.
Due to the easy availability of factory dyed yarn in the market, a tendency
has been marked among the present days weavers to shirk the trouble of preparing
the dye-stuff even with chemical dyes. Though the indigenous system of dyeing is
a laborious process and of little importance today, it has certain socio-cultural
significance in the life of the people of Assam. The weavers often complained
about the poor colour quality of shop bought dyed yarns. Further, it is not possible
to get the yarn of required count having the desired shades. The weavers
frequently are inhabited from achieving an intricate design of traditionally
sanctioned colours, simply because shop-bought yarns do not satisfy the
requirements. Again the effect of embellishment is lost after a single wash of the
fabric. This is found to be an important factor directly or indirectly affecting the
textile tradition of Assam.
It is evident that the art of dyeing with indigenous dyes was an important
aspect of traditional handloom weaving which is no more in vogue in present
days. Nevertheless, some of the indigenous dye substances are still found
available in the villages under study. It is apprehended that the last persons in the
villages may be the last generation who can identify these substances and know
how to prepare the indigenous dyes. The efforts presently undertaken by some
institution/organizations for identification of natural dye sources, optimization of
dyeing process, documentation etc. are encouraging. In view of the present global
demand for eco-friendly dyes such efforts should be further systematized and gear
up, in right direction.
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6.9 Investment, Employment and Income in Weaving
Fixed capital
For setting up handlooms one needs a house and a plot of land. While most
of the commercial looms are fitted in separate houses (some are found in parts of
residential houses also), most of the semi commercial and domestic looms are
found established in a shed like verandah attached to the residential house or in
the open space of the court yard. While the value of land differs from village to
village and location to location within a village the value of houses for looms also
differs according to their types. While most of the looms in the villages of the
region are found housed in thatched roofs, in Sualkuchi proper they are found in
C.I. sheet roofed pacca houses and some are even housed in RCC buildings.
Recently most of the loom owners in Ramdia, Bamundi and Bongsor also build
housed in RCC buildings for setting up their looms. Hence it is difficult to
estimate the value of land and buildings. While the historic value of building
depreciated the book value of land rises year after year, as also the book value of
buildings. Probably because of such difficulties in imputing the value of land and
building, the Development Commissioner (Small Scale Industries) as well as the
Ministry of Small Scale Industries, Government of India had been referring since
long to investment in plant and machinery only for defining Small Scale Industries
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(Rs. 10 Lakh to Rs. 100 Lakhs), Medium Scale Units 9Rs. 1 crore to Rs. 10
crores) and tiny units (upto Rs. 10 lakhs).
In the handloom industry fixed capital investment apart from that in land
and building consists of the cost of the handloom. A handloom is made up of a
frame beams, sley reed, shuttle and healds. A handloom units also needs other
accessories groves, wheels, bobbins, spindles charkha etc. The cost of all these
accessories for a flyshuttle handloom or pit loom comes to around Rs. 7000 while
for a throw shuttle loom it comes to about Rs. 3000. In the context of different
types of handlooms it may be noted that in silk weaving as well as commercial
and semi commercial cotton weaving the flyshuttle loom is used. For design works
on the fabrics, particularly mulberry, Muga and Tasar fabrics most of the looms
used Dobbeys and the cost of a Dobbey including its wooden frame comes to
about Rs. 2000. Thus total fixed capital investment per silk loom comes to about
Rs. 9000.
Besides fixed capital a workshop also needs working capital for running
the looms. Working capital consists, mainly of the market prices of yarn for wrap
and weft, art threads of various colours for flowering the fabrics. The
entrepreneurs is also required to maintain and inventory of raw materials, finished
and semi-finished products besides cash for weekly payments to the hired
weavers. A loom generally weaves two warps in a year consisting of yarn for one
warp and 6 kg woof yarn for weaver. Thus a loom weavers generally 18 kg of
mulberry or Tasar yarn in a year. The proprietor is to, buy at least 3 kg paat or
Tasar yarn for a warp. Weft yarn can be purchased price meal of one/two kg for a
loom. The cost of 3 kg paat yarn in 2017 is about Rs. 12870/-. The price of Tasar
yarn is Rs. 8200 per kg while that of golden yarn is Rs. 5200 per kg while that of
golden thread for a set of Mekhela Chaddar is Rs. 1250. Since most of the looms
are engaged in mulberry yarn weaving, we take paat looms as the model. Thus
investment in yarn comes to Rs. 50,000 plus. The employer is also to make
weekly payment of Rs. 2000 to the hired weavers. Therefore, total working capital
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for running a loom is around Rs. 16120. And this amount may be multiplied byu
the number of looms per unit. We have taken the cost of one warp as against two
warps woven in a year for the reason that the second warp may be financed by
selling the products of the first warp.
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Photo Plate No. 6.5: Traditional Weaving Implements
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Traditional stick Warping
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Indigenous process of beaming
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Modern Implements
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Photo Plate No. 6.6: Modern Weaving Implements
Polyster Yarns
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