Sualkuchi Assam Silk Weaving Village Muga Eri Pat

Sualkuchi, 35 kilometres west of Guwahati on the Brahmaputra north bank, is called the Manchester of the East and produces all three types of Assam silk: golden Muga (from Antheraea assamensis silkworms fed on Som and Soalu leaves), warm Eri (from Samia ricini silkworms, ahimsa silk), and fine Pat (from Bombyx mori). Over 25,000 weavers in Sualkuchi work on frame looms in their homes, producing mekhela-chador sets and gamosas. Sualkuchi silk has GI protection. The Sualkuchi Handloom Development Cooperative supplies yarn, processes silk, and markets directly to buyers in Assam, Delhi, and international silk markets. Weaver training centres teach Assam silk to new generations.