Guwahati: The name “Eri” is derived from the Assamese word “Era” which means “castor” as the silkworm feeds on castor plants. Eri Silk is also known as “Indi” locally among Bodos.
The woolly white silk is often referred to as the fabric of peace, and ‘Ahimsa Silk’ as it is processed without killing the silkworm.
North East has the unique distinction of being the only region producing four varieties of silk- Mulberry, oak Tasar, Muga and Eri. Muga has already got Geographical Indications (GI) tag.
Locally within the people of Bodoland, the term “Eri” is pronounced as “Indi”. In the Bodo language, “Zi” translates to Silk. Therefore, among the Bodo people in the Bodoland region of Assam, Bodo Eri silk is commonly referred to as “Indi Zi”.
Only silk with red cocoons
One unique factor that differentiates Bodo Eri from others is that it is only silk with red cocoons based on its geographical location and climatic conditions.
“The red cocoons are found only in the districts of Kokrajhar and Chirang of Assam. Otherwise, the White Cocoon of Eri silk is produced across the state in the districts of North Cachar, Kamrup, Goalpara Darrang, Cachar, Karbi Anglong, and N.C. Hills,” the GI document on Bodo Eri silk says.
Assam contributes 65% of the country’s total Eri production respectively. India produced about seven thousand metric tons of Bodo Eri silk in the financial year 2021.
Bodoland has the highest number of handloom households in India, where the handlooms’ major focus is to produce silk, a textile that has an important role in the economic development of the region and, more importantly, for the households of spinners and weavers.
The GI application was made by the Association of Bodo Traditional Weavers, Kokrajhar and facilitated by the Bodo Culture and Heritage Preservation Board.
The unique thing about Bodo Eri silk is the type of cocoon used. Its fibre is not reeled but spun. The cocoon is open-ended and the moth emerges or the worm is extracted but not killed.
Eri silkworm or Samia ricini is the world’s third largest silkworm. Eri silkworms are highly adaptable, multi-food silkworms that feed on leaves from several trees (castor leaves, cassava leaves, crane leaves, stinky leaves, pine leaves, cypress leaves, and so on) and are therefore easier to rear.
“Eri Silk is considered the legacy of Bodos. The art of Eri silkworm rearing, spinning and weaving was introduced by the Bodo indigenous people in India. The use of Eri silk is very closely associated with the culture and tradition of the Bodo society from time immemorial and occupies a unique place in the socio-economic life of the Bodo people,” the document says.
Historical accounts say Bodo Eri silk has been in culture since 400 B.C. in the Brahmaputra Valley of Assam.
The document says just as a mother is inseparable from her infant, so are Bodos inseparable from silks. Bodos are enthusiastically engaged in rearing silkworms and hence, producing silk. One can see large swathes of silkworms in Bodo courtyards.
The importance of Bodo Eri silk to the Bodo society can be gauged from the fact that May 1 is celebrated as Eri Day to honour the Eri Farmers/ Weavers and the significance of Eri culture in the life of Bodo people. Bodo Eri silk is the preferred material of Buddhists and Vegans because the moth is not killed; it leaves the cocoon after spinning and flies off. It has antimicrobial properties.
The status of Eri clothes in the folk life of Assan is reflected in an old Assamese proverb ‘Dair pani, lndir kani’, which implies that while curd (yoghurt) cools, Eri cloth warms up a person.
Bodo Eri silk is darker and heavier than other silks and blends well with wool and cotton. It has excellent hypoallergenic and thermo-regulating properties, making it the ideal companion throughout the seasons, even for the most delicate skin. Due to its thermal properties, it is warm in winter and cool in summer.
“The final product of Bodo Eri Silk (Silk) is highly valued not only for the environmentally-friendly approach that is taken during its farming and production but also for its qualities. In the summer, it provides a cooling effect, whereas on colder days it provides warmth and a feeling of cosiness,” the document states.
Bodo Eri silk has certain excellent textile properties such as fineness (2-2.5 denier) and thermal properties which play an important role in determining the end use of fibre. “Bodo Eri silk is finer than muga and tasar silk – not only does it require less material to prepare the desired piece of fabric but it exhibits super softness and comfort. It has excellent hypoallergenic and thermo-regulating properties, making it the ideal companion throughout the seasons, even for the most delicate skins,” the document says.
Jogesh Deori an Officer on Special Duty at Handloom Textile and Sericulture, BTR who also got Assam Gaurav in 2022 for his work in the sericulture sector says more than 50, 000 eri farmers and families are involved in this sector.
“We are converting small scale to large scale rearing as a cluster mode and Cassava or tapioca has been introduced as an Eri food plant in the BTR area,” Deori told EastMojo.
“The Silk Park known as Bodoland Silk Park at Kokrajhar is the first of its kind of silk park in the world, where right from cocoon bank, spun mill, silk printing and processing unit, digital embroidery, knitting plant, apparel garments, pupae processing, outlet, emporium cum museum, business hall etc many activities are being held under an umbrella,” Deori said.
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