Assam Silk | Assam is famous for three types of indigenous silks - golden muga, white pat and warm eri silk...

On a busy weekday, I was passing through South Ex in New Delhi on the ring road for my work and suddenly I saw a hoarding with Assam tourism promotions featuring Priyanka Chopra. I quickly realized that she was wearing muga silk mekhela chador on that poster. 

Assam is famous for three types of indigenous silks - golden Muga, white pat, and warm Eri silk. These all have different importance in day to day life of Assamese people. Ladieswear silk mekhela chador on different occasions and festivals.  A wardrobe without a silk mekhela chador is an incomplete wardrobe for Assamese people. 

Assamese silk Mekhela sador

The production of these silks is unique, Muga & white pat are glossy & have a fine texture. All these silks have a very long shelf life and can be kept for many years in the same condition. Muga & white pat are comfortable for all seasons but eri silk is warm and can be used in winter months only as shawls and quilts. All these silks are wild silks produced through silkworms. Three different types of leaves are used as feeds in silk production. Muga silkworms feed on som leaves, pat silkworm's preferred food is nuni leaves and eri silk on castor plant.  

Sualkuchi is the main silk production area of Assam. It is located on the north bank of the river Brahmaputra. 

Apart from local shops in Assam traditional clothes are normally available at trade fairs and Assam silk emporiums. I also noticed a few retailers on online platforms and also on Amazon. I did some shopping at Dilli Haat and Surajkund Mela.

Assam silk looks best with traditional Assamese jewellery such as junbiri, golpota, gam kharu, dhul biri, etc.