Specialty Crafts from Assam

The people of Assam have traditionally been craftsmen from time immemorial.Though Assam is mostly known for its exquisite silks and the bamboo and cane products, several other crafts are also made here. This thread is dedicated to all those Specialty art and craft from Assam.

You must have visited many Handicraft Mela/Fair and must also have seen a stall from Assam. Perhaps information on those will make you more aware to collect and buy them the next time. Check out the thread & posts here to know more.

joi aai asom!

Metal Crafts from Assam - Xorai, Kalah, Bota

Bell-metal and brass have been the most commonly used metals for the Assamese artisan. Sarthebari, a small town near Guwahati is famous for its bell metal utensils. Traditional utensils like Xorai, Bota, Thal, Ban- bati, Bati,Lota are found in every Assamese household. The Xorai, bota,Kalah etc have been in use for centuries.

The Vaishnava Satras founded by Sankardeva has considerable collection of old Assamese utensils. Also many old Assamese families have. In the present times utensils like Xorai, Kalah, Bota etc has become a part of drawing room decoration. The Xorai and bota are used in all our auspicious occasions.

Even today, in many rural areas meals are served to honoured guests in Ban-kahi. Bota is used to offer betel nut and paan while welcoming distinguished guests. Tamul- bati, a silver bowl with a cover is a much used bowl during the marriage ceremony. A small Bota made of silver is also used by a new bride to welcome guests.

Thanks Nabanita (I had a classmate by that name)
You revived the memories of Xorai and Bota. I vividly remember people offering betel nuts and paan in a Bota to my parents whenever we went to an Assamese house. Yes, we do have a Xorai and gamusa presented to my father as a farewell gift when we left Assam after our transfer.

Probably, I did not understand that much then, but it is really nice to read and understand about the wonderful craft of the state. Thank you.

Have you see the traditionally crafted Assamese jewellery? Which one is your favorite piece of Jewellery?

Gold has always constituted the most-used metal for jewellery in Assam, while the use of silver and other metals too have been there for centuries.

Gold was locally available, flowing down several Himalayan rivers, of which Subansiri is the most important. In fact, a particular tribe of people, the Sonowal Kacharis were engaged only for gold-washing in these rivers.

Jorhat in Upper Assam is one place where the traditional Assamese form of manufacture of jewellery is still in vogue, and people flock to Jorhat to get the exquisite Assamese jewellery. Assamese jewellery include the doog-doogi, loka-paro, bana, gaam-kharu, gal-pata, jon-biri, dhol-biri and keru, all of which have also encouraged the modern jewellers to producing similiar designs mechanically.

very unique & trendy jewellery...thanks for sharing....

Hi Pubali, this is really an exceptional piece of jewellery on display. Hope you can show a set of 'Gaam Khaaru' as well. Even I'll look out to see if I can write and show some pictures.

Roopa, Assamese gold jewellery is very unique and people here love to own traditional jewellery and are popular in weddings even in modern times when trends have changed over the years. But yes, as the world fashion takes a full turn, the traditional jewellery indeed look trendy, when ethnicity is the buzzword that rules fashion world.

Another area of specialty craft from Assam is Handloom weaving. It is Assam's largest and oldest industry. Weaving has been a way of life in Assam since time immemorial. Handloom of Assam is not confined to a particular group of people or to a particular region. Assam was one of the first places where the practice of rearing silkworms and using heir thread came into vogue.

Tradition has it that the skill to weave was the primary qualification of a young girl for her eligibility for marriage. A soldier was sent off for battle with a dress material made overnight. And one that was considered as important as his weapon. This perhaps explains why Assam has largest concentration of handlooms and weavers in the country.

Assam is known the world over for its unique silk products. Muga, the natural golden silk is exclusive only to Assam and a treasured possession for every women. Pat, a bright creamy-silver coloured silk and Eri, a variety used for weaving warm clothes are also very popular and widely used.

Although there is no comparison between Eri, Muga and Pat, which is your personal favorite for a grand occasion.