THE GOLDEN FABRIC OF ASSAM

             As a child, I was very fond of playing dress-up, like most little girls are. I used to make my mother and grandmother drape one of their mekhela-chadars around me, and derive great pleasure in parading about like a grown-up. My all time favourite was the muga mekhala chadar because of its natural golden sheen and the bright red and green motifs. Now, as a 21 year old, the child’s fascination has been replaced by a curiosity to know more about this wonder fabric that is indigenous to Assam.

A 2 year old me in a muga mekhela-chadar

             Assam has a long tradition of weaving. In earlier times, nearly every Assamese household boasted of a loom, on which the women would weave cotton and silk cloth for their families. I was surprised to learn that the entire process of silk-weaving, from rearing of silk worms to weaving the final product, is done at home. Muga silk, commonly known as ‘golden silk’, is obtained from the domesticated Antheraea assamensis silkworms, which feed on the host plants cultivated at home. The rearing of silk worms, Sericulture, is a laborious process. Muga is reared in open air and thus, has to be protected from birds and bats. The tiny worms after hatching from the moth eggs, feed voraciously on the leaves and are later collected to be put on bundles of dry leafy twigs to enable them to spin cocoons. Unwinding  of cocoons involves killing the pupae inside the cocoons by drying them in the sun or heating them in a special chamber. After drying, the muga cocoons are cooked in an alkaline solution of soda ash to soften the natural gum. This is followed by reeling of the cocoons , after which the muga threads are dried in the shade for about 4 days. Finally, they are wound on  the skeins of looms, ready for weaving.

             Most designs on muga are based on common flowers, plants and birds arranged in geometrical pattern. More traditional patterns are based on scenes from the Ramayana and from Lord Krishna’s life.

             Muga silk is extremely durable and lasting. The silk strands do not lose their strength over time. In fact, the garments usually outlive their owners! I happen to be in possession of a piece of muga cloth which was woven by my great grandmother on her own loom. Even the silk worms were reared in her own backyard. Moreover, this particular type of silk, is quite expensive and valued above gold in some cases. Thus, muga silk is considered an heirloom in Assamese families, handed from one generation to the next.