Tak tak sum,
tak tak sum…..
On a day tour to Sualkuchi, listening to weavers working on their looms reminds me of the Mishimi folktale “Hambreilmai’s Loom” I read a long time back. Sualkuchi is a handloom lovers paradise, a little town situated about 35 km from Guwahati on the northern bank of river Brahmaputra.
Sualkuchi: An Introduction
Sualkuchi is known as the weaving Mecca of Assam and is famous for various types of silk textiles like Eri, Muga and Pat. Sualkuchi silk is known since ancient times. Here every house has a loom and as you walk along the many
narrow lanes of this famous weaving village you can hear the fly shuttle going and making beautiful music as the lady weaves.
Weaving is handed down from one generation to the other here and thus everyone is expert at the skill of weaving. One can see the intricate patterns made by skill hands and usually they make exquisite motifs depicting local flora and fauna. Trees, creepers, flowers, rhinos, elephants, birds are usually popular motifs. They weave gorgeous
Sualkuchi sador mekhela, of both silk and cotton. Sualkuchi made Assamese saree is very famous too.
Sualkuchi Pat Muga silk: An history
Swalkuchi it is said was established by King Dharma Pal and he got Tanti weavers from Tantikuchi (Present day Barpeta town, about 60 KM south of Sualkuchi) and settled them at Swalkuchi. It flourished more during the rule of Ahom kings as they patronised weaving. Today majority of the weavers are women, and most of them weave for their personal use as well as for selling. With the growing demand these days most weavers are hired from
neighbouring villages.
Pat silk and Eri silk is the most popular medium though cotton Gamuchas are woven too. Muga silk is also woven at few looms, though these days indigenous silks of Assam like Muga are slowly taken over by cheaper silk yarn from other parts of the country.
Things to do on your visit to Sualkuchi
- Visit to see an actual loom/ weaving centre: Watching the women folk of Swalkuchi weave is a truly mesmerising experience. One can see the entire process of cutting of yarn to putting and weaving on the loom.
- Vastra Udayan: As one enters Swalkuchi, the Vastra Udayan is right at the entrance of the village. It’s a small centre where the entire history of weaving is explained, with a small park area in front.
- Hatimura satra: A visit to the 400-year-old Hatimura satra is also well worth it.
- Silk Shops: Visit the many silk shops which are spread all across Swalkuchi and buy some textiles like saree, mekhela sador, kurta of Assam’s indigenous silk, Sualkuchi made Assamese sari.
- Traditional Assamese lunch
A short day trip to Sualkuchi is indeed a very satisfying experience. One can take a day-long tour from Guwahati and is easily accessible by road. A trip to Sualkuchi is well worth it and am sure will return with bags full of exquisite silk
textiles.
A day trip to Sualkuchi with Kopou Escapes
If you have a day to spare on your trip to Assam, we at Kopou Escapes feel that a visit to Sualkuchi is well worth it. It takes about an hour from the city center and the drive to it is an enjoyable one as we cross the Brahmaputra over the Saraighat Bridge leaving the chaos of the city. Both sides of the road are filled with lush green paddy fields in summers and yellow mustard fields in the winters. After watching the silk looms and some silk hopping, a visit to the Vastra Udyan can give you minute knowledge of how a thread becomes a beautiful piece of cloth. The trip is ended with a soulful lunch in a resort near Sualkuchi.
Trips to Sualkuchi can be arranged in any season of the year.
Price on request.