Mekhela Chadar- Assam’s Vanity

“Mekhela Chadar is an emotion” – This was the first thing I could think of in the morning while scrolling through my Pinterest searching for images (well that I do very often) of Mekhela Chadar. When the topic came up for my blog; I thought to myself – “well girl, this is going to be both amusing and tricky at the same time.” How can an Assamese girl just pen down her feelings for the attire she has been attached to since her childhood? The one she knows belongs to her heart and soul. But then, one can at least try to make people understand what traditional attires can mean to them.

Origination of Mekhela Chadar 

This attire has its origin from Assam. Assam is a beautiful nature-based land from the Northeast part of India and here you will find diversity unified with colors and traditions. Among many tribes in Northeast India, Assamese is the one that has this vibrant tradition and requires wearing the traditional dress of Assam- the Mekhela Chadar.

The art

Mekhela Chadar is a two-piece set made with either different types of silk or fabrics and worn by women all over the parts of Assam. The two-piece includes – A Mekhela (the part of the cloth made like a skirt and to be worn by making plaits) and A Chadar (which is like a yard of cloth wrapped around your body) complemented with a blouse as per choice.

The most attractive part of this dress would be the patterns that are quite alluring and are hand-woven with love, care, and dedication of the weavers( the paramount of being an Assamese; they are always full of all these qualities).

While talking about its pattern it would be extremely dumb if I do not bring forward the vibrant colors used to make them look beyond beautiful. In other words, strings used from every single hue on this Earth, there is a never-ending story being told in this traditional dress of Assam.

Sometimes the story may be of the red blooming Flowers or the happy yellow Birds; sometimes it may be the brightest blue Sky or the glimmering golden light on the sea surface from the Sun’s ray. I fall in love with every story on sight. It is “an emotion” as I said earlier. But, that is what makes it even better and in need to be a part of that story will long in you too. Only if you put your hand over that soft fabric with beautiful floral patterns scattered all over made with the threads dipped in gold water(Guna).

Types of Mekhela Chadar

As I said earlier the traditional dress of Assam or the Bihu dress of Assam comes in a variety of fabric. Some are way too precious and some are the usual ones; but when we talk about the types we talk about the materials used in weaving them. They mostly are adored in Muga silk, Pat silk, and Eri silk. When woven in these silks they are of utmost beauty and gives you gratification in wearing them.

Apart from these silks, we can also find them woven in cotton that is worn conventionally by the women of Northeast India. In short, they are accessible and adaptable according to their fabric in almost all the seasons of a year.

While every single piece is a dedication of the designers as well as the weavers turning out to be the perfect traditional wear for the woman of Assam. This particular two-piece not only holds dignity for them but brings a glaze of pride into their face while putting onto their body.

You can see a vivid example of the finest ones worn by Assam’s Brand Ambassador- Priyanka Chopra. Today, there is the innovation in terms of the finest quality and design are erupting which aren’t only famous nation-wide but have reached out to the world too.

Try a pair or two and you will fall in love with both the dress and the land.