Minakshi Mishra

 THE WOMEN BEHIND THE WEAVES They weave a thousand tales in between the warp and weft and not just a beautiful piece of cloth. The deft hands are forever engaged weaving the tapestry of their life. You cannot talk about the silks of Assam, more precisely the Muga silk without talking about the weavers. This blog is about Kanaklata Gogoi, Jyotsna Gogoi and Krishnamoni Gogoi, three women among hundreds of unknown weavers from Paschim Dhemaji, Ghoguwa. It is women like them who create the exquisite silk without even realising that they are preserving an exceptional legacy, the legacy of the unique weaving tradition of Assam. Let us get to know these three weavers of ‘fairy tales’ in silk. KANAKLATA GOGOI Kanaklata Gogoi has known no other life than the one she has in remote Dhemaji district of Assam. Her day starts at the crack of dawn with the days work cut out. Each day she finishes her routine household work as fast as she can, as more work awaits her at the sumonis( rearing areas of the Muga silkworms). Kanaklatas shares the work with her husband in the rearing of the silkworms, the work at home and ricefields. They do not understand terms like gender equality but live it each day. The couple takes pride in rearing the Muga silkworms in the two bighas of sumonis as the rearing areas are known here. They procure the silkworm eggs from Sivasagar or Lakhimpur districts of Assam, well known for the quality of the eggs. As part of the rearing process, the weavers place the worms on Som trees, the host plants to feed and thereby produce cocoons. Som is the primary host plants for muga silkworm and cultivated by the rearers. As Kanaklata speaks of the constant vigil they have when the muga silkworms are reared outdoors in the sumonis, I try to imagine the long hours they spend in protecting the muga caterpillars from natural calamity, pests, birds and animals. Dhemaji is a flood-prone area, ravaged by the rising waters of the Brahmaputra in the months from June to August. Thus, they have to think ahead and prepare the plots in highlands where possibilities of waterlogging are minimal. Their work also includes tending to the patches of paddy field they own and taking care of their cattle. I could only imagine the hard work and hours of silent vigil over caterpillars when Kanaklata tells me that her husband constructs a bamboo thatch house in the sumoni from where he keeps watch and uses pellet-bow to protect the worms from its enemies. In between her conversation, Kanaklata tells me that her daughter, a graduate, also takes immense interest in weaving and rearing the silkworms. I could see that she felt pride that comes from the knowledge that the Muga legacy continues from one generation to another. Kanaklata mentions that they have to procure 1000 eggs for Rs 5000. In a good season, the returns compensate for the investment. But there are bad seasons when natural calamities and pests ruin their dreams. Kanaklata’s son is studying for his 12th boards, and they have a daughter nearing marriageable age. This year the floods destroyed the plots leaving little hope of harvesting the cocoons. Yet, she smiles because she has faith in her sumonis and skill in her hands. She is prepared to face the hardships this year and wait for the new season. Kanaklata weaves her dreams in her loom. How else would she supplement the household income than to stay hunched over her loom three to fours hours at a stretch? She weaves the golden splendour of exquisite Muga with a hope of a better tomorrow for her close-knit family. Jyotsna Gogoi Jyotsna has the dream that all mothers have- a secure future for the child she holds in her arms. Her two-year-old son keeps her busy all day, and it seems a miracle that she manages to find time to weave yet another Mekhela Sador in gold-hued Muga threads. Her smile widens as she tells me of the 2.5 bighas of prime sumoni land owned by her husband. To her, that represents dreams that she intends to fulfil. I could not help voicing my concern about the havoc to the sumonis due to the flood this year. Answering my queries on how she was going to recover the loss, without thinking much she said that her husband would work as a daily wage earner in nearby fields, she would also manage from her agricultural plot. They have managed to do so in the same way for many years and would this year too. Jyotsna has no idea about cities and life outside Dhemaji. She also has little knowledge of government aid or schemes for Muga rearers like her. Each year Jyotsna and others like her procure Muga eggs from rearers belonging to Garo hill tribe of Assam. The eggs are of superior quality and give good returns, she said. Jyotsna keeps Rs 10,000 aside to buy the precious eggs, and she has to shell out the sum for just 1000 eggs. Those eggs would open the road to fulfilling her dreams of raising her son. With a proud smile, Jyotsna tells that she learnt everything from her parents and it is due to her weaving skills that she can add to the family coffer. She also tells me that in bad years when the flood plays havoc, they cannot procure the eggs. In such times they settle for partnership with neighbours by offering to care for the worms in return of half of the cocoon harvest. Thus, they manage to earn from the silkworms one way or another. For women like Jyotsna, weaving this silken splendour is the only way towards empowerment. They earn enough to tide them over each year and save a little for the future. Jyotsna does not know much about the fashion circuits or the weight Muga holds in the global market. For her, it is a good investment if she can weave at least three Mekhela sadors per season. She manages to sell them at a price that leaves her enough to buy small essentials and the occasional gifts for her family. I can only understand that she has pinned her hopes of fulfilling her dreams in the muga silkworms and her weaving expertise. No wonder Mahatma Gandhi had said that the women of Assam weave fairy tales in their looms. Krishnamoti Gogoi Krishnamoti Gogoi is a mother of two children, and her husband works as a daily wage worker at odd jobs to support the household expenses. The couple does have a 1.5 bigha plot, but the sumoni they own is not big enough to yield a good crop of cocoons. The floods this year along with the pandemic have shattered their savings, it will be a harsh year ahead, with hardly any savings they cannot afford to buy silkworm eggs. While talking to Krishnamoti, I was amazed to hear that the weavers in this village have never received any financial aid from the Government. Probably it was due to lack of proper submission of required documents or ignorance of procedures. Simple rural women like Krishnamoti have their hands full with household work and weaving to keep the home fires burning. A total lack of exposure to the world outside and little knowledge of government schemes for the handloom sector restricts weavers as Krishnamoti confined to a hand to mouth existence. As I set out for the return journey back to Guwahati, I kept thinking of these talented women who weave mesmerising Muga silks facing many odds. Jyotsna, Kanaklata or Krishnamoti they were all tied with the golden thread and the art of preserving the muga legacy. Unbeknownst to them, the thread shimmers, sways and captivates fashion circuits in glittering metros while they the creators of divine Muga struggle to make ends meet.