The Assam Silk-A
Cut Above
Weaving
of fabric is a way of life in the North-East. A large number of its inhabitants
earn their living from this sector. In Assam the handloom sector stands
next only to agriculture in terms of employment generation. The handloom
products of this region are replete with artistic sensibility. They are
intimately connected with the local folk traditions and culture.
Handloom weaving in Assam is
confined mostly to women. With visible pride the people of Assam quote Mahatma Gandhi when he praised the
weaving wizardry of the women of Assam: “Assamese women weave fairy
tales in their clothes”.
It is said that the Ahoms were
the first to bring the art of silk weaving from China
to India.
Assam
has always been associated with the production of the best quality of silk –
Pat, Muga and Eri or Endi. Though the fibre of the Pat variety is not exclusive
to Assam,
it is distinguishable for its texture and distinctive local designs. The other
two varieties are indigenous to Assam.
Of them, Muga, the golden silk, is unique for its colour, texture and
durability. Eri or Endi is a warm variety used for the making of shawls and
other winter garments.
Assam
has the largest population of weavers in India. Over 17 lakh weavers are
engaged in more than 14 lakh handlooms, producing about 167 million metres of
cloth annually. About 24,000 handlooms are exclusively used for producing silk
commodities.
Silk weaving is an important
economic activity in Assam.
It contributes more than Rs. 190 crore annually to the State’s economy. The
industry produces nearly 91 lakh metres of fabric every year.
In the context of silk weaving
in Assam,
Sualkuchi stands apart. Situated about 30 kilometres from Guiwahati in the
Kamrup district, Sualkuchi is known as the ‘Manchester of the East’. With a population of
around fifty thousand it is the biggest village in the State.
Sualkuchi is situated on the
north bank of the Brahmaputra river. Its
weaving traditions go back to the 11th century when King Dharma Pal of the Pal
dynasty patronized the craft. The village took shape as a weaving centre when
the Ahoms occupied Sualkuchi defeating the Mughals in the mid 17th century.
Inadequate supply of raw
materials leading to high cost of production has posed a trheat to this
indigenous handloom industry vis-a-vis the cheap silk produced on powerlooms in
other parts of the country. The raw materials for weaving the golden silk,
Muga, comes from the districts of Dhemaji, Lakhimpur, Sivasagar and Goalpara.
But the mulberry silk yarn mainly comes from Karnataka. The absence of any
organized silkworm farming in the State has led the people to depend entirely
on the thread suppliers from Karnataka and Tamilnadu.
Poor productivity and quality,
weak economic base of the weaving community, lack of market facility and
innovation in the traditional designs and colour schemes have been some of the
factors ailing the weaving sector in Assam.
Being a natural fibre, silk is
eco-friendly. It is a highly priced commodity for the upper and growing middle
class segments of the society. As a part of the Indian culture it is recognized
as a symbol of purity. In Assam,
silk fabric is not only used as bridal wear but also needed on festive
occasions. Assam has the
largest concentration of handlooms and weavers in India. The Muga silk products are
an exclusive Assamese commodity.
Being unorganized, its silk
industry is little known outside Assam. It has not been able to
attract outside markets. As a result, the financial support to the industry is
not strong enough. Obsolete methods and devices are still in use. Limited range
of products with inadequate value addition, lack of trained artisans and
appropriate marketing support are among the factors ailing the sector. Once these
handicaps are overcome, the Assam
silk will shine everywhere bringing prosperity to its weaving communities and
inspiring the others to emulate their example.
No comments:
Post a Comment