Sivasagar Ahom Silk Weaving Muga Pat Assam

Sivasagar district in Assam was the capital of the Ahom kingdom for 600 years and preserves the royal tradition of muga (Antheraea assamensis) and pat silk weaving under Ahom royal patronage. Ahom women weavers in Nazira and Amguri blocks produce mekhela chador, gamosa, and decorative Ahom court textiles on traditional frame looms using muga and white pat silk in twill, satin, and supplementary weft techniques. Sivasagar cooperative weavers supply muga silk to Assam State Handloom Cooperative for tourism-grade product and export to Japan, where muga silk is prized for its natural golden lustre. The Ahom Rajmao royal design vocabulary — including the Gaja (elephant) and Mayura (peacock) supplementary weft motifs — is preserved in pattern books maintained by cooperative master weavers.