Mising Eri Ahimsa Silk Weaving Dhemaji Assam

Eri silk weaving by the Mising community of Dhemaji district in Assam is among India's oldest ahimsa silk traditions. Eri silk is reeled from the cocoon of Samia ricini, the castor silk moth, reared on castor and kesseru leaves in bamboo frames attached to Mising house walls. Unlike mulberry silk which kills the pupa, eri silk is open-end spun from the cocoon after the moth has emerged — making it genuinely ahimsa (non-violent) silk. The Mising women spin eri into a soft thick yarn with an irregular texture, and weave it on a loin loom into traditional Mising garments including mekhela (lower wrap) and blouse fabric as well as shawls and stoles. The natural white and cream tones of eri are supplemented by natural dyes from Mising forest plants. Mising eri weaving is inseparable from Mising cultural identity — garments are worn at the Ali Aye Ligang spring festival celebrated in the Brahmaputra valley. The Dhemaji eri silk cluster includes weavers in riverine saporis (sandbar islands) who combine paddy farming with silk weaving. The Assam government supports eri sericulture as a livelihood and cultural heritage programme for indigenous Mising communities.