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'Assam silk' denotes the three major types of indigenous silks produced in Assam—golden Muga, white Pat and warm Eri silk. The Assam silk industry, now centered in Sualkuchi, is a labor intensive industry.

Contents

Muga silk

Pat silk

Eri silk

Usage

References

External links

Muga silk

Muga silk is the product of the silkworm ''Antherea assamensis'' endemic to Assam. The pupa of these silkworms feed on ''som'' (''Machilus bombycina'') and ''sualu'' (''Litsaea polyantha'') leaves. The silk produced is known for its glossy fine texture and durability. Due to its low porosity the Muga yarn cannot be bleached nor dyed and its natural golden color is retained. This silk can be hand-washed with its luster increasing after every wash. Very often the silk outlives its owner.
Assam has received a Geographical indication for the production of Muga.^[1]

Pat silk

Pat silk is produced by silkworms which feed on mulberry leaves. It is usually brilliant white or off-white in colour.

Eri silk

Eri silk is made by ''Philosamia rinini'' which feed on castor leaves. It is also known as Endi or Errandi silk. Due to the fact that manufacturing process of Eri allows the pupae to develop into adults and only the open ended cocoons are used for turning into silk , it is also popularly known as 'non-violent silk'. This silk is soft and warm and is popular as shawls and quilts.

Usage

★ Of the textiles described above, the primary usage of Muga and Pat are in 'Mekhela chadors' which is a traditional Assamese dress for women.

★ In addition, there are silk 'Gamosas' that are made of Pat which are used more for felicitations and as decorative neck wear than the regular gamosas.

★ Eri is used mostly for shawls and quilts due to their remarkable properties of temperature isolation and soft feel.

References

1. '' Silk variety gets GI registration'' The Hindu


★ Goswami, Kishor (2006) ''Impact of Globalization on Silk Industry of Northeast India: An Assessment from Gender Perspective''

★ Varadarajan, Lotika (1988) ''Silk in Northeastern and Eastern India: The Indigenous Tradition'', Modern Asian Studies, Vol. 22, No. 3 pp. 561-570

External links

★ Assamsilks.com

★ Informative FAQ on Assam Silk

★ Sualkuchi silk