SILK OF ASSAM: SEGMENT 2
In the previous article, we talked about Assam silk and its history. There was this imperative discussion on why and how in India since early ages Assam silk has played an integral role.
I still remember how my first mekhela sadar made me feel. The touch of the fabric on the body itself made me feel more of a powerful woman with love for her land.
Today here we are going to talk about the three prime types of Assam silk in detail.
Before we start, there is a simple quote by Gustav Mahler. He quoted-
“Tradition is not the worship of ashes, but the preservation of fire.”
Silk a way to love tradition
Not saying that you should feel indebted to a tradition but respecting them is what gives you the zeal to be who you are. Similarly wearing a piece of Assam silk will give you the feeling like Gustav quoted. It will make you feel that you are preserving fire.
The three prime Assam silk
I have earlier stated that there is three prime silk from Assam. Let’s get to know them even better.
Muga Silk: The silk which was defined by Kautilya as the fabric with the color that of classic butter and redness as a sunset. How lovely was his definition that just by reading those words you can feel its exquisiteness?!
Muga silk is one of the costliest silk and was considered or should I say still considered as the royal silk. The color of the fabric is that of gold-tinted mixed with yellow and those bright red flower patterns on them. The gloss of the fabric itself makes it such wonderful silk that people adore it a lot.
During special festival women in Northeast India wears them. There is a slight caution to be taken here. Due to the high cost of real Muga silk, some of the sellers make the garments by mixing tussar muga with the real MUGA. There is a huge difference between the two as tussar muga cannot be washed as compared to the real muga. So, there are certain precautions to be taken strictly.
Pat silk: This silk shines on its own with the brightest colors and simplest designs yet attracting lots of the women’s eyes to it. The Mulberry silkworm is the one for pat silk. It is the most preferred while buying mekhela sadar either manually or if you buy Assam silk saris online. They give you guaranteed quality along with durability.
Most brides are seen in wearing those white or pale white colored attire with beautifully done golden patterns. The look is quite breath-taking and is almost every girl born in Assam to be in while they get married.
Eri Silk: This silk is also known as the Ahimsa silk because in the rearing process the silkworm isn’t killed and thus, the Eri silk is also a symbol of peace. This silk has gotten its name because the caterpillar feeds on the era( castor) leaves.
This ahimsa silk has a good combination with woolen yarn as the properties makes it more convenient. People usually make shawls or shirts out of this yarn to keep themselves warm and yet fashionable.
The color of the fabric comes out mostly in light yellow-brown and the texture is also slightly rough than the other two mentioned silk. But it defines simplicity and nature together. One mustn’t miss out using this silk in their lifetime.
Apart from the above-mentioned silks, there is much other silk that is trending in Assam and the entire world and they are Mulberry silk, Tussar silk, and Banana silk.
What we yearn is to keep our tradition alive so that we feel connected to our land at times and what is the best way to do it? Through clothes! So embrace your love for silk and make it a love affair in the world.