Songs of Ahimsa Silk: Celebrating the spirit of ‘Eri’ this National Handloom Day

Eri, ‘Ahimsa,’ non-violent silk: The fabric of peace

Traditional Assamese Jaapi on Eri shawl at Pragjyotika. (Photo Credit: Swasti Pachauri)

‘Eri,’ also known as Ahimsa or peace silk, is a salient case for sustainable or eco-handlooms. Its name is derived from ‘Errandi’ or ‘Era,’ the local term for the castor plant that serves as the primary food source for the Eri silkworm, scientifically known as ‘Samia ricini.’ The worms also feed on the tapioca plant. Unlike conventional silk production methods, silkworms are not harmed or killed. Once the moths fly out of the cocoon, cocoons are boiled with raw turmeric leaves for 20-30 minutes and left to dry. The cocoon bundle is then mixed with cooked rice starch, and finally, Eri silk is skillfully handspun using the traditional spinning tool, ‘Takhuri.’

This traditional practice of rearing Eri silkworms, called Ericulture, is deeply ingrained in the northeastern states’ identity, culture, ecology, and economy. Tribal communities in states like Meghalaya, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, and other northeastern regions actively contribute to producing exquisite Eri silk handlooms.

A bit of Eri for everyone

Traditional Eri Dokhona. (Photo Credit: Hiranya Devi, Superintendent H&T, HPC, Bhatipara, Kokrajhar, Assam)

Eri possesses the elegance of silk and the comfort of cotton, making it an ideal fabric that keeps one warm in winter and cool in summer. In Assam, it is affectionately referred to as the ‘poor man’s silk.’ The Assamese ‘Dokhona,’ ‘Gamosa,’ and the exquisite ‘Mekhela Chador’ are famous examples of Eri handlooms.

The variety of Eri products is impressive, ranging from sarees, stoles, scarves, jackets, mufflers, cushion covers, and other fabrics. Other value chain products like Eri face masks, lip balm, soaps, and tapioca flour have also gained popularity. As a fibre of the future, Eri silk is treasured as an heirloom textile that can be passed down through generations, creating a timeless legacy.

Soil to Silk: Empowering weavers, preserving traditions

Eri Stoles at Pragjyotika, Delhi. (Photo Credit: Swasti Pachauri)

Bodoland, or the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR), is one of the largest producers of Eri silk, with production in the region standing at 1441.68 MT in 2022-23. The Bodoland Sericulture Mission aims to quadruple farmer incomes by 2026 in the region and empower 40,000 silkworm rearers and 10,000 weavers. Similarly, the Bodoland Silk Park in Adabari, Kokrajhar, is based on the ‘soil to silk’ premise and empowers numerous livelihoods. It must be noted that Assam contributes 95 percent and 65 percent of the country’s total Muga and Eri production, respectively (Directorate of Sericulture, Assam).

Engaged in ericulture for the last twelve years, Randashi Boro (45) from Uttar Bhurikamar Handloom Cluster, Uttar Bhurikamar, Panbari, Borobazar, in Chirang district, says, “Sericulture is the single source of sustainable income for my family as market demand is always high for the raw cocoons. We need good training and technical support to scale our production.” Women like Randashi make around INR 65,000 per year, and the sericulture mission in Bodoland is empowering several such women like her.

Similarly, Rwimwnti Basumatary (28) from Laimwnshri self-help group (SHG), Dimajuli, Hakua Serfung, Bijani, Chirang district, says, “I learned the rearing of silkworms from my mother, and the process involves several steps like sorting them according to their quality and size, Degumming of the cocoon, and rearing silkworms with care. Eri handlooms provide us with a sustainable source of income from the comfort of our home.” Basumatary has been engaged in the Eri handloom industry for the last ten years and earns around INR 60,000 annually.

Ethical fashion

Eri Muffler. (Photo Credit: Hiranya Devi)

Eri is celebrated as a cruelty-free fabric, championing ethicality in fashion and contributing to environmental equity as a critical component of the vegan fashion movement. With its natural sheen, Eri comes in off-white, earthy, and golden-beige shades, while certain silkworm varieties produce a beautiful rust-colored hue.

Brands like ‘Muezart’ in Meghalaya, ‘Kaushya’ in Arunachal Pradesh, ‘7Weaves’ in Assam, and many more young fashion designers are working towards creating more significant ripple effects of ‘peace’ silk in the space of handlooms.

Iba Mallai, founder and creative director of Kiniho, an ethical fashion brand that blends modernity with tradition, decided to foray into Eri silk in Ribhoi district, Meghalaya, after realising the vast potential of Eri weaving and the harmony it enjoys with nature. “When I started Kiniho, I decided to create mindfully, sustainably, and ethically, and it should have a beautiful, meaningful story. I realised Eri silk should thus be the fiber I should focus on. Moreover, it was my responsibility to preserve our identity through our textiles and heritage practices, which led me to Kiniho”, she says.

Similarly, ASOMI, or the local silk brand under Assam State Rural Livelihoods Mission, works extensively to provide marketing support to weavers. Pragjyotika Assam Emporium in Delhi has Eri textiles embroidered in Assamese Jaapi, musical instruments, jewellery, peacocks, and rhinos. Meghalayan Age, a craft store in Delhi, has experimented with a range of clothing made of Eri, such as Kurtis, gorgeous Mekhela Chadors, and traditional ‘Dokhonas.’

Madhulika Choudhary, a handloom conservationist based in Delhi working on silk handlooms, says, “The case of non-violent Eri helps promote responsible fashion and can potentially transform the ecological fashion movement, as Eri is in tune with nature. The silk handloom industry is a means of empowerment for rural women. They can augment their incomes from cocoon yarn and gain control over their resources.”

The way forward

Eri Dokhona on Loom. (Photo Credit: Hiranya Devi)

Promoting a ‘circular economy in fashion’ and safeguarding the longevity of original silks in the face of climate change and inexpensive silk substitutes, efforts to conserve and promote silks are commendable. The ‘Gene Bank’ in Bodoland, world’s first Muga wildlife sanctuary in Manas national park established by BTR to preserve the region’s biodiversity are commendable, and similar efforts could be undertaken for Eri silk. Additionally, fostering collaborations between artisans and fashion designers and providing technical support to women in digital and market access, entrepreneurship, and soft skills are vital in ensuring this rich heritage’s sustainability.

Similarly, eco-tourism could be undertaken and clubbed with agroforestry initiatives boosting the cultivation of tapioca and castor plants, promoting sericulture farmers and weavers while boosting ‘silk tourism.’ For example, ‘Umden Diwon’ has become the first Eri silk village in Meghalaya.

(With inputs from Anand Vikram, BTR Development Fellow, and Arpon Bhattacharjee, Project Officer, BTR Development Fellowship)