Bastar Kosa Tassar Silk Weaving Jagdalpur Chhattisgarh

Kosa silk, woven from the cocoon of the Antheraea mylitta tassar silkworm that feeds on Arjun, Ber, and Sal trees in the forest belts of Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand, is the traditional ceremonial textile of Chhattisgarh with major production centers in Champa, Raigarh, and Korba districts and smaller production in Bastar forest areas. The tassar silk yarn has a characteristic golden-brown lustre and a coarser texture than mulberry silk, valued for its natural sheen and strength. Weavers in Bastar districts, many from the Devangan and Koshti communities, weave plain kosa fabric into dhotis, sarees, and stole lengths using fly-shuttle handlooms, with supplementary zari or silk thread brocade borders for ceremonial garments. Bastar region kosa has a distinctive texture due to the forest-reared cocoons whose yarn has slightly more variation in diameter than commercially reared cocoons, producing a natural slub effect. The Chhattisgarh Rajya Grehudyog Cooperative manages procurement and handles national Handloom Haat and export dispatch. Kosa silk sarees from Champa and Korba hold GI status.