Meghalaya Cotton – An Eye-catching Attire Of Women

By Author: Lakshmi
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Meghalaya Cotton, which is a light, airy and comfortable creation to keep cool during hot summers.

In India, various regions have their own typical style of dressing. The North East region has a significant history for its weaving and draping styles.

Meghalaya Cottons of North East India have a prominent characteristic and are eye-catching garbs of women.

Peaceful State of North East region, Meghalaya is famous for its weavers and wearers. Here, the spinning and weaving is exclusive monopoly of women.

Cotton is such a tremendous fabric, which is cool in summer and warm in winter. Meghalaya Cotton is a special variety in North East region, which is soft, fluffy and durable in nature.

Meghalaya Cottons have their origin in Meghalaya. These were woven by Garo tribes. Due to lack of historical evidences, little is known about its ancient history.

The ethnic tribes Garo, Khasi and Jaintias are famous hilly tribes of India. In ancient times, these three tribes had their own kingdoms across this region. After that, in the ancient 19th Century, Meghalaya was ruled by British and later merged ...
... into Assam.

Garos are the most skilled weavers and they weave staple cotton to make traditional fabrics. The interesting point here is, every family earns their livelihood through weaving itself.

This Meghalaya Cotton is easily dyed and offers a good canvas for its block prints and stylish patterns.

The weaver first prepares the staple cotton and then makes it into a traditional fabric. Vegetable or natural dyes are used by the weaver for dyeing.

Weaver uses a loom, a machine with a continuous horizontal warp. Loom consists of six sticks, which are used to serve the functioning of the warp. It consists of warp beam, healed stick, cloth beam, lease rod, beating sword and extra warp beam.

Firstly, the warp beam is fixed horizontally to the wall and two loops of bark string are fitted on this. Before this, weaver adjusts the woven fabric to the loop’s length. This woven fabric is distinguished a little more than the breadth of the cloth to be woven.

To attach the weaving belt, the cloth beam is notched to the either end. Weaver wares this belt and sits in front the loom to press it with feet and keeps making necessary actions on the warp.

Finally, using natural dyes, weaver applies desired colours to the fabric and will be dried and then folded up to the mark.

It is well-famed as Dakmanda and the weavers also weave bed sheets, covers, shirts and table clothes etc.

The motifs such as floral works, embroideries, buttis, stones, animals and other are used for the designing process.

Plain Meghalaya Cotton sarees with vibrant colours are classical and summer wears. With block print floral designs these sarees are best suitable as corporate and festival wears. These sarees with great embroidery and floral works are apt for weddings and grand occasions.

Today, Meghalaya Cottons are the national heritages and trend makers of fashion world. We must tribute the weavers of Meghalaya for presenting this glossy wear.