If you want to understand the Northeast, look at what people wear on their best days. Nearly every community here has its own weaves, colours and motifs, many still made on home looms, often by women. A shawl can tell you which tribe someone belongs to. A border can mark a festival. A colour can say “wedding”.
Assam: muga, mekhela chador and the gamosa
Muga silk, with its natural golden sheen, is produced only in Assam and carries a Geographical Indication (GI) tag. It is woven into the mekhela chador, the two-piece outfit worn by Assamese women. Sualkuchi, on the Brahmaputra, is the famous weaving town.
Then there is the gamosa: a white cotton cloth with red woven borders and motifs. It is a towel, a gift, a scarf, a mark of respect and a symbol of Assamese identity all at once. It received its own GI tag in 2022. (You may notice its red borders all over this website. That is not an accident.)
Nagaland: shawls that speak
Naga shawls are not just warm. Their colours and patterns traditionally identify the tribe and sometimes the status or achievements of the wearer. Bold reds and blacks dominate, with bands, stripes and motifs that vary community to community.
Mizoram: the puan
The puan is the Mizo wraparound skirt. Look for the puanchei, the most colourful and intricately woven, worn at weddings, festivals and the cheraw bamboo dance.
Manipur: phanek and Moirang phee
The phanek is the striped wrap skirt worn by Meitei women, with the innaphi shawl on top. Manipur’s Moirang phee and Shaphee lanphee textiles both hold GI tags.
Tripura: risa and rignai
The risa is a handwoven upper garment, and the rignai the lower wrap, worn by Tripuri women. The risa is also central to coming-of-age traditions and is given as a mark of respect.
Meghalaya: jainsem and Eri silk
Khasi women wear the jainsem, a two-piece draped dress, while Eri silk, sometimes called the “peace silk”, is woven in Ri-Bhoi and elsewhere.
Buy handloom, ask who made it, and pay what it is worth. A good weave can take weeks.
How to buy well
- Buy directly from weavers’ cooperatives, state emporiums or trusted local shops.
- Learn the difference between handloom and powerloom copies. Ask. Feel the fabric.
- Wear it with respect. Some patterns have ceremonial meanings; when in doubt, ask.
Are you a weaver or a handloom label from the region? We want to feature you. Write to contact@lifeinnortheast.com.
Quick answers
What is muga silk?
Muga is a naturally golden silk produced only in Assam. It carries a Geographical Indication (GI) tag and is woven into the mekhela chador.
What is a gamosa?
A gamosa is a white cotton cloth with red woven borders and motifs, used as a towel, scarf and gift of respect in Assam. It received a GI tag in 2022.
What is a puan?
The puan is the Mizo wraparound skirt from Mizoram. The puanchei is the most colourful version, worn at weddings, festivals and the cheraw bamboo dance.
How do I know if a weave is genuine handloom?
Buy from weavers’ cooperatives, state emporiums or trusted local shops, and ask the seller. Handloom fabric usually has slight irregularities that powerloom copies lack.