WEAVER'S WORLD / NORTH EAST / TEXTILES -2

WEAVER'S WORLD / NORTH EAST / TEXTILES -2

• Manipuri sarees are excellent weaves from the traditional handlooms of the North East of India. Artistic and stylish, the handlooms in silk, cotton and blends fascinate for their simple designs but elegant finish. A Manipur handloom saree is generally a rectangular piece of fabric in fine silk or smooth cotton measuring 5.5 by 1.3 metres. The innovative designs of a Manipuri saree could be from traditional art moulded to current fashion or arty cross border experiments. A striking feature of the Manipuri saree is the colour and the attractive eye-catcher is the motif that has ensured the interest in this wonderfully woven fabric even in the fashion world. Popular motifs are animals, insects, floral designs and geometrical shapes. The weaving quality and the texture of the silk and cotton saris is very good.

• Meghalaya, one of the seven sisters of the North East of India is well-known for its handloom woven fabrics in silk and cotton. Eri or endi silk, mulberry silk procured and processed domestically are durable and fine texture silk yarns that are mainstays of the handloom industry that has flourished in the Meghalaya and surrounding regions for quite some time. Meghalaya silk sarees offer canvas for beautiful eye-catching patterns of zari in zardozi, chikan, ari and gota. Fashion prints of batik, block, bandhini, lehriya enhance the beauty of Meghalaya sari. Adornments with kundans, beads, and pearls add to the allure of the Meghalaya Silk fabric. Meghalaya sarees are colourful, bright, striking fabrics and make use of fast colour vegetable dyes that brighten up the atmosphere.