Introduction:
The Bodo or Boro belongs to the Mongoloid stock of the Indo-Tibetans and
linguistically they belong to the branch of the Tibeto-Barman family of language. They
constitute a very important section of the different ethnic and races people settling in Assam with
their distinct cultural, social and linguistic traits. They are the largest ethnic tribal people of
Assam with 12,28,450 population according to 1961 census. The Bodo women are not only the
mistress of the House but also the expert spinner, weavers and handloom embroidery. They
weave various kinds of clothes like—Endi Si, Dokhona, Zwmgra, Aronai, Gamsa, Alon, etc.
They also know the art of dying of various colors. They have certain fondness of color costume.
They make beautiful handloom embroidery in their various clothes and costume. Some of the
embroidery is like design of dove eye, various flowers, hill designs, etc. In present days the Boro
clothes are competent enough with various clothes of their neighbors from quality to valuation.
The Boro male people wear Gamsa woven in their home from loin to the knee and below it and
the women from the ancient to present wear Dokhona hangs from the armpit to the ankle or toe
including blouse and Alon are put and wrapped on the body. The Bodo ethnic identity is clearly
identical with the women costume use by them from the time immemorial. The Boro or Bodo
can be proud of about their clothes and costume.
The Boro or Bodo People:
The Boro or Bodo are a great ethnic people residing in the NE India known as the
aborigine people having their own distinct socio-identity. They are the inhabitants of North of
Himalaya and West of China known as Bod Country. There were Hor-Bod, Kur-Bod, etc. The
people of Bod Country are known as Boddo-ficha (Ficha-cha-children) or children of Bod
Country and were latter known simply as the Boddo or the Bodo.4 The Bodos spread over the
whole of the Brahmaputra valley and North Bengal as well as East Bengal, forming a solid block
in North-Eastern India, were the most important Indo-Mongoloid people in Eastern India, and
they form one of the main bases of the present day population of these tracts5. The Bodo or the
Boro are the first settler of the entire Burlungbuthur (Brahmaputra) valley. They constitute an
important section of the population of the plains of Assam and are called by the different names
at different places of the North-East India. In proper Burlungbuthur valley including the
Bodoland Territorial Council areas the people called themselves Bodos or the Boros, in
Goalpara, Dibrugarh districts of Assam and the Jalpaiguri district of the West Bengal state of the
India, they are called ‘Mech’, in east Kamrup Kachari pronounced as Kochari, in N.C Hills they
are called Dimasa Kachari, by their neighbors. The term Bodo or Boro is using both ethnic as
well as linguistic sense. The Boro language is the sub-section of the Bodo-Naga section under
the Assam-Burma Group of the Tibeto-Burma branch of the Sino-Tibetan language speech
aborigine people having their own distinct socio-identity. They are the inhabitants of North of
Himalaya and West of China known as Bod Country. There were Hor-Bod, Kur-Bod, etc. The
people of Bod Country are known as Boddo-ficha (Ficha-cha-children) or children of Bod
Country and were latter known simply as the Boddo or the Bodo.4 The Bodos spread over the
whole of the Brahmaputra valley and North Bengal as well as East Bengal, forming a solid block
in North-Eastern India, were the most important Indo-Mongoloid people in Eastern India, and
they form one of the main bases of the present day population of these tracts5. The Bodo or the
Boro are the first settler of the entire Burlungbuthur (Brahmaputra) valley. They constitute an
important section of the population of the plains of Assam and are called by the different names
at different places of the North-East India. In proper Burlungbuthur valley including the
Bodoland Territorial Council areas the people called themselves Bodos or the Boros, in
Goalpara, Dibrugarh districts of Assam and the Jalpaiguri district of the West Bengal state of the
India, they are called ‘Mech’, in east Kamrup Kachari pronounced as Kochari, in N.C Hills they
are called Dimasa Kachari, by their neighbors. The term Bodo or Boro is using both ethnic as
well as linguistic sense. The Boro language is the sub-section of the Bodo-Naga section under
the Assam-Burma Group of the Tibeto-Burma branch of the Sino-Tibetan language speech
family. It is certain that whatever name they may called by their neighbors and wherever they
live they are the same people and everywhere they speak the same language with few local
variations and the people are very seldom call themselves by any name other then, Boro or Bodo
or Kachari, Mech, etc. The Boro or Bodo people use as Boro-Kochari in their written documents
in community identification in the BTC areas.
The Boro women:
The Boro women are expert in their loom. At least a simple loom is seen in every
household family in the Boro village and urban areas. The Boro women who do not know the art
of spinning, weaving and handloom embroidery are called as ‘Aouluri’ or unknown to any
works. The ‘Aouluri’ women are neglected in the society in ancient period though such beliefs
are minimize today. The person who married the ‘Aouluri’ girl is called unfortunate. The rearing
of Boro family depends on the agricultural production of the person himself. The works of the
women influence very much in peaceful family life. In ancient time the following old saying
were prevalent:
“Bwswrse abad zaywikhou dagab,
Hinzao haba rwngwikhou gab.”
i.e. “Don’t cry for non-production of crop in one year,
Cry for unknown of work by women (i.e. wife).”
The above saying influences each Boro women to become expert in every work. It also
make them award towards the future responsibility of the family and the society. It indicates to
the young girls of yesteryears that the works is not only the pre-requirement for the marriage; but
it is the way of life in creating peaceful, happy and development in family life. The expert
women are not only concern with marriage; it is also the carrier of peace for family and the
society too. There were household proverb that when the war with their enemy began then the
Boro women spin and weave a kind of scarf for her husband within the night and gift it to their
husband as the symbol of safety and victory in the war. The boys also ignore the girl for their
marriage on the basis of spinning, weaving and handloom embroidery in previous years. No girls
were considered marriage-worthy unless she could acquire proficiency in the art of spinning,
weaving and dying and handloom embroidery.
religious and other Boros put Dhoti, Banyan, Punjabi are also use. They also use various clothes
live they are the same people and everywhere they speak the same language with few local
variations and the people are very seldom call themselves by any name other then, Boro or Bodo
or Kachari, Mech, etc. The Boro or Bodo people use as Boro-Kochari in their written documents
in community identification in the BTC areas.
The Boro women:
The Boro women are expert in their loom. At least a simple loom is seen in every
household family in the Boro village and urban areas. The Boro women who do not know the art
of spinning, weaving and handloom embroidery are called as ‘Aouluri’ or unknown to any
works. The ‘Aouluri’ women are neglected in the society in ancient period though such beliefs
are minimize today. The person who married the ‘Aouluri’ girl is called unfortunate. The rearing
of Boro family depends on the agricultural production of the person himself. The works of the
women influence very much in peaceful family life. In ancient time the following old saying
were prevalent:
“Bwswrse abad zaywikhou dagab,
Hinzao haba rwngwikhou gab.”
i.e. “Don’t cry for non-production of crop in one year,
Cry for unknown of work by women (i.e. wife).”
The above saying influences each Boro women to become expert in every work. It also
make them award towards the future responsibility of the family and the society. It indicates to
the young girls of yesteryears that the works is not only the pre-requirement for the marriage; but
it is the way of life in creating peaceful, happy and development in family life. The expert
women are not only concern with marriage; it is also the carrier of peace for family and the
society too. There were household proverb that when the war with their enemy began then the
Boro women spin and weave a kind of scarf for her husband within the night and gift it to their
husband as the symbol of safety and victory in the war. The boys also ignore the girl for their
marriage on the basis of spinning, weaving and handloom embroidery in previous years. No girls
were considered marriage-worthy unless she could acquire proficiency in the art of spinning,
weaving and dying and handloom embroidery.
Sources of Threads:
The Boro women or people rear silk worm Eri or Erandi (Attacus Ricini) known as
‘Emphou Latha’ and Muga (Antheroea Assamoea) known as ‘Muga Latha’ for Eri and Muga
cocoons and cultivate cotton cultivation for the Eri, Muga and Cotton threads. It was said that
the Bodo were the traders of silk in ancient times. They also consume the insect or worm known
as Endi or Erandi known as ‘amphou latha’ by them. They cultivate the castor plants, Gamari,
Tha Sumli (a small variety silk cotton tree bearing tasty tuberous root) for Eri worm. At least 3
to 4 week is required to get eri cocoon from the eri worm. At present day the plantation of
mulberry, campa tree (Michelia Champaka), Adakari tree (Tetranthera Polyantha), etc. plants
are planted for the Muga worm by the Boro people.
The Boro women use a spindle called ‘Thaokhri’ to produced the threads from the Eri,
Muga cocoons and Cotton from ancient times. In fact spinning, weaving dying and handloom
embroidery clothes of endi, muga and cotton yarn are the household industry and every Boro
women is expected to excel in the finer art of handloom craftsmanship. In ancient periods the
threads collected from the marked were only simple known by them as ‘Khundung Gubwi’ or
‘Khundung Aowa’. Those threads were generally not properly dyed. The Boro women are also
expert in dying colors in their handloom yarn endi, ‘Khundung Aouwa’ and their clothes. The
Boros are the religious people. They worship God and Goddess is regarded as the holy works.
They use special clothes during worship of God. The white color is regarded as the holiest of all
the clothes. During the ancient days the dying of saccharine color was very difficult. The Boro
women know the secret of dying of their clothes. The yellow color is the favorite’s choice of the
Boro-Kochari women which is distinctly visible in their costume materials especially in their
Dokhona. The Bodo women also expert in dying yarn and clothes which was a community secret
of the tribe6. The dying materials of the Prag-Bosomi industry are brought from the Patal Ganga,
Gujarat, Maharastra, etc. for the Boro Clothes. At present time the well to do family and the
owner of the weaving centers use the spinning, weaving and Embroidery machines. They also
collect the various types of threads having verities of threads having different colors and qualities
from the nearby available markets. Some of them are-Khasmiri, Phakhua, Polister, Plopin,
Mashraise, Varieties of Cotton threads, Verities of Wools, including hand yarn Endi, Muga,
Cotton, etc. Those threads increased the quality, valuation, productivity, colors etc in the Boro
women clothes and costume.
Places of weaving Boro Clothes:
The Boro women weave various kinds of clothes in their homely prepared pit of loom
known as ‘Hisan Sali’ in one of the corner of their household courtyard or the shed prepared for
the purpose. Some of the educated or industrious people established weaving and spinning
centers for business as well as occupational purposes. They also using modern technique of
spinning, weaving and embroidery machines and employed some less-educated poor women as
per their requirement. The loom employed for weaving the eri is very simple construction, and
most, if not all, the material needed for the purpose can be provided by the villagers themselves
from local resources .
known as ‘Hisan Sali’ in one of the corner of their household courtyard or the shed prepared for
the purpose. Some of the educated or industrious people established weaving and spinning
centers for business as well as occupational purposes. They also using modern technique of
spinning, weaving and embroidery machines and employed some less-educated poor women as
per their requirement. The loom employed for weaving the eri is very simple construction, and
most, if not all, the material needed for the purpose can be provided by the villagers themselves
from local resources .
Kinds of Clothes and Costume:
The art of spinning, weaving, and handloom embroidery of the Boro women are never
inferior to another race of people all over India. They know the art of swelling embroidery in
their clothes and costume. J. D. Baveja said about it—the kachari women are healthy and very
handsome. They are good weavers. The kachari women usually weave lovely flowers on the
borders of their clothes8.
The Boro women weave various kinds of Clothes for household use and business
purposes. Few of them are—Zi Gidir (big cloth), Sima (use as bad cover and general use), Endi
Si (endi cloth), Dokhona, Gamsa, Alon, Aronai (wrapper on neck), Zwmgra (women wrapper on
body), Sadri, Phali (hand-car-ship), Aranga Si (table cloth), Sopha Si, Si Gudung (Wool cloth),
Gandu Si (pillow cloth), etc. Almost all kinds of clothes are weave by them in their loom and
weaving centers with beautiful and lovely handloom embroidery and attractive colors.
In modern days some of the Boro people take weaving, spinning, and handloom
embroidery as a profession in their life. They established weaving centers and employed lots of
less-educated poor women as their employee. The poor Boro women get occupation along with
divulging their various creative arts through it. Sometime the Govt. also takes initiative by giving
training to the aspirants who also help in the promotion of various Boro handloom embroidery
and weaving centers. The production of various clothes from the spinning and weaving centers
get adequate market demand and remarkable benefit. Today the less of time, less of labors can
create diverse innovative art and contemporary handloom embroidery clothes with the help of
machine. The Boro women today have the capacity to produce their clothes and costume of
various valuable threads like Pat, Muga, Khasmiri, Wool, etc. which has the good value in the
markets of various platform. It has enough capacity to transform the previously household
industry to a large scale industry for the Boros in particular and the people of BTC in general.
inferior to another race of people all over India. They know the art of swelling embroidery in
their clothes and costume. J. D. Baveja said about it—the kachari women are healthy and very
handsome. They are good weavers. The kachari women usually weave lovely flowers on the
borders of their clothes8.
The Boro women weave various kinds of Clothes for household use and business
purposes. Few of them are—Zi Gidir (big cloth), Sima (use as bad cover and general use), Endi
Si (endi cloth), Dokhona, Gamsa, Alon, Aronai (wrapper on neck), Zwmgra (women wrapper on
body), Sadri, Phali (hand-car-ship), Aranga Si (table cloth), Sopha Si, Si Gudung (Wool cloth),
Gandu Si (pillow cloth), etc. Almost all kinds of clothes are weave by them in their loom and
weaving centers with beautiful and lovely handloom embroidery and attractive colors.
In modern days some of the Boro people take weaving, spinning, and handloom
embroidery as a profession in their life. They established weaving centers and employed lots of
less-educated poor women as their employee. The poor Boro women get occupation along with
divulging their various creative arts through it. Sometime the Govt. also takes initiative by giving
training to the aspirants who also help in the promotion of various Boro handloom embroidery
and weaving centers. The production of various clothes from the spinning and weaving centers
get adequate market demand and remarkable benefit. Today the less of time, less of labors can
create diverse innovative art and contemporary handloom embroidery clothes with the help of
machine. The Boro women today have the capacity to produce their clothes and costume of
various valuable threads like Pat, Muga, Khasmiri, Wool, etc. which has the good value in the
markets of various platform. It has enough capacity to transform the previously household
industry to a large scale industry for the Boros in particular and the people of BTC in general.
Kinds of Boro Handloom Embroidery:
The Boro women both rural and urban areas are not only busy in domestic works, or they
have not time to gossip with other neighboring women. They are engaged themselves in different
productive and earning activities with spinning, weaving and handloom as well as embroidery
activities and can share in the maintenance of their fundamental family needs of clothes, costume
and money. The Boro women know the art of swelling handloom embroidery design of various
kinds in their clothes and costume. Some of the handloom embroidery design are—Phahar Agor
(hill design), Daorai Mwkhreb (peacock design), Phareo Megon (design of pigeon eye), Daothu
Godo (dove eye), Thaigir Bibar (wood apple flower), Dahra Mohor (mat form), Dingkhia Agor
(fern design), Bwigri Bibar (palm flower), Mwider Agan (Elephant foot), Maozi Agan (Cat foot),
Agor Gidir (big design), Agor Phisa (small design), Bonduram Agor (Bonduram design), Singri
Bibar (a kind of grass leaves), Naser Bilai (Naser leaves), Zolonga Agor (bag design), Gangu
have not time to gossip with other neighboring women. They are engaged themselves in different
productive and earning activities with spinning, weaving and handloom as well as embroidery
activities and can share in the maintenance of their fundamental family needs of clothes, costume
and money. The Boro women know the art of swelling handloom embroidery design of various
kinds in their clothes and costume. Some of the handloom embroidery design are—Phahar Agor
(hill design), Daorai Mwkhreb (peacock design), Phareo Megon (design of pigeon eye), Daothu
Godo (dove eye), Thaigir Bibar (wood apple flower), Dahra Mohor (mat form), Dingkhia Agor
(fern design), Bwigri Bibar (palm flower), Mwider Agan (Elephant foot), Maozi Agan (Cat foot),
Agor Gidir (big design), Agor Phisa (small design), Bonduram Agor (Bonduram design), Singri
Bibar (a kind of grass leaves), Naser Bilai (Naser leaves), Zolonga Agor (bag design), Gangu
Godo (design of grasshooper), Lisu Agor (lichi design), Hathorkhi Agor (Star design), Sikhri
Agor (butterfly design), Mokhordoma Agor (mokhordoma design), Zinziri Agor (chain design),
etc. The Boro women also design in their clothes on the basis of their imagination. The design in
the bed sheet are verities of form like—mat form, various flowers, birds of various form, design
of trees, etc. The big cloth of white colour called “Sima” by the Boros. It is use as bed sheet as
well as general purposes. The handloom embroidery table clothes of various colors and design,
hand car ships, pillow covers of various embroidery on it, the wrapper around the neck known as
Aronai are very attractive. The Aronai of the Boros are very attractive having various peculiar
handloom embroidery. There is special handloom embroidery Aronai named as Bonduram Agor.
It is very valuable and rarely found. Almost all the clothes and costume of the Boro people have
various kinds of swelling handloom embroidery.
Agor (butterfly design), Mokhordoma Agor (mokhordoma design), Zinziri Agor (chain design),
etc. The Boro women also design in their clothes on the basis of their imagination. The design in
the bed sheet are verities of form like—mat form, various flowers, birds of various form, design
of trees, etc. The big cloth of white colour called “Sima” by the Boros. It is use as bed sheet as
well as general purposes. The handloom embroidery table clothes of various colors and design,
hand car ships, pillow covers of various embroidery on it, the wrapper around the neck known as
Aronai are very attractive. The Aronai of the Boros are very attractive having various peculiar
handloom embroidery. There is special handloom embroidery Aronai named as Bonduram Agor.
It is very valuable and rarely found. Almost all the clothes and costume of the Boro people have
various kinds of swelling handloom embroidery.
The Boro Clothes and Costume for Male:
The Boro male people both young and old put ‘Gamsa’ woven at home. The Gamsa of the
Boro male cloth is hangs down to the knees from the loins and below the knees. In summer they
use cotton or endi made wrapper called ‘Zwmgra’ or ‘Mwdwmni Zi’; spun and woven at home.
They also put Banyan, a short coat of cotton or endi. The Gamsa of Douri is woven with
specially dyed brown color endi thread with red border on it. The Gamsa of the groom was
made with white color endi thread and the body cloth was woven with cotton threads in ancient
times. The Douri of the Kherai Phuza hangs 2.5’ bread and 7.5’ long borderless endi scarf with
Mokhordoma design in black red endi threads. The Gamsa of the Douri was same with the
groom. Today the Douri use special plan and design Gamsa instead of endi Gamsa in Kherai
Phuza. Sometimes the Dhoti of the other Hindu people are also use. In the marriage, the BrahmaBoro male cloth is hangs down to the knees from the loins and below the knees. In summer they
use cotton or endi made wrapper called ‘Zwmgra’ or ‘Mwdwmni Zi’; spun and woven at home.
They also put Banyan, a short coat of cotton or endi. The Gamsa of Douri is woven with
specially dyed brown color endi thread with red border on it. The Gamsa of the groom was
made with white color endi thread and the body cloth was woven with cotton threads in ancient
times. The Douri of the Kherai Phuza hangs 2.5’ bread and 7.5’ long borderless endi scarf with
Mokhordoma design in black red endi threads. The Gamsa of the Douri was same with the
groom. Today the Douri use special plan and design Gamsa instead of endi Gamsa in Kherai
religious and other Boros put Dhoti, Banyan, Punjabi are also use. They also use various clothes
and costume like—Long pants, short pants, Shirts-full and half, Hawai shirts, Coats, Necktie,
Persian Coats, Punjabi, Kurta, Pajamas, Dhoti, etc. like their other neighbors.
Persian Coats, Punjabi, Kurta, Pajamas, Dhoti, etc. like their other neighbors.
The Clothes and Costume Use by Boro Female:
The Boro women, formerly and even today put their popular costume ‘Dokhona’. The
Dokhona is tie round the chest just below the armpit and hangs it to the ankle or toe. The Boro
women put various kinds of Dokhona woven by them. There may be four types of Dokhona–
1.Dokhona Thaosi :- It is known as Agor Gwnang Dokhona (handloom embroidery). The
Dokhona having various handloom embroidery on it; is called Dokhona Thaosi. This type of
Dokhona is wear in marriage ceremony and Kherai Puza. It is the special for the Boros.
2. Sala Matha :- This Dokhona has no embroidery in it. It has no embroidery whatsoever. It
is plan with simple margin with single colors threads. It is for general use.
3. Bidon Dokhona :- This type of Dokhona has also don’t have handloom embroidery but it
has several number of plan design of various colors threads with find looking. Now a day, this
type of Dokhona is seen using in the Kherai Phuza and the Bwirathis and bride in the marriage
ceremony also.
4. Agor Gidir Dokhona (big design) :- It is a kind of Dokhona weave with four lines or
harness. It is generally use in present days in the marriage and Kherai Phuza by the bride, her
friends and two Bwirathis, Doudini and dancers in the Kherai Phuza in places of Dokhona
Thaosi along with Bidon Dokhona. This type of Dokhona has no remarkable design but it has a
jig jag form with different colors threads.
Out of those four types there may be other types of Dokhona use by the Boro female at
preseny. However, those four types are eminent today. The Dokhona of the Doudini and Kherai
dancer is red color endi threads having the handloom embroidery of heart of turtle, back of crab,
spread with small Mokhordoma, in the middle and horse, elephants, sall trees design in both the
upper and lower margin. The Doudini hangs 2.5’ bread and 7.5’ long borderless endi scarf
handloom embroidery of Mokhordoma design in black-red endi threads. The Doudini tied her
loin with a red handloom embroidery scarf having peacock design. This scarf is woven with
brown threads with proper border of red color in the size 2 to 3.5’ long and 3.5 cm. bread. In
ancient time the Dokhona Thaosi of the bride is also woven with red color endi thread, the
handloom embroidery design of earthen lamp, butterfly, cat foot, etc of 7.5 to 8’ long. The Alon
or the Sadri is also have design with small Mokhordoma Agor, full of stars in row have the size
of 1.25’ bread and 5’ long. All those clothes and costume were made with free of cost but with
dedication, skill, creative mind, self innovation and durable time. This was the result of inter
related efforts of the creative mind in the hands of creative persons.
The Dokhona Thaosi or Agor Gwnang Dokhona has verities of handloom embroidery
like--- Phahar Agor (hill design), Daorai Mwkhreb (peacock design), Phareo Megon (design of
pigeon eye), Daothu Godo (dove eye), Thaigir Bibar (wood apple flower), Dahra Mohor (mat
form), Dingkhia Agor (fern design), Bwigri Bibar (palm flower), Mwider Agan (Elephant foot),
Maozi Agan (Cat foot), Agor Gidir (big design), Bonduram Agor (Bonduram design), etc. as
stated above. The Boro women also design in their clothes on the basis of their imagination.
Along with the Dokhona the Boro women use Alon or Sadwr or Zwmgra decorated with various
handloom embroidery small scarfs on their body and verities of blouse. At present day the Boro
women also use the costume like- Sari, Surider, Blouse, Skirts, Nightly, etc. use by their
neighbors. It can be said that ---- A Boro young girl with her woven handloom embroidery
Dokhona and Alon with attractive colors looks like a flower blooming around the earth.
Dokhona is tie round the chest just below the armpit and hangs it to the ankle or toe. The Boro
women put various kinds of Dokhona woven by them. There may be four types of Dokhona–
1.Dokhona Thaosi :- It is known as Agor Gwnang Dokhona (handloom embroidery). The
Dokhona having various handloom embroidery on it; is called Dokhona Thaosi. This type of
Dokhona is wear in marriage ceremony and Kherai Puza. It is the special for the Boros.
2. Sala Matha :- This Dokhona has no embroidery in it. It has no embroidery whatsoever. It
is plan with simple margin with single colors threads. It is for general use.
3. Bidon Dokhona :- This type of Dokhona has also don’t have handloom embroidery but it
has several number of plan design of various colors threads with find looking. Now a day, this
type of Dokhona is seen using in the Kherai Phuza and the Bwirathis and bride in the marriage
ceremony also.
4. Agor Gidir Dokhona (big design) :- It is a kind of Dokhona weave with four lines or
harness. It is generally use in present days in the marriage and Kherai Phuza by the bride, her
friends and two Bwirathis, Doudini and dancers in the Kherai Phuza in places of Dokhona
Thaosi along with Bidon Dokhona. This type of Dokhona has no remarkable design but it has a
jig jag form with different colors threads.
Out of those four types there may be other types of Dokhona use by the Boro female at
preseny. However, those four types are eminent today. The Dokhona of the Doudini and Kherai
dancer is red color endi threads having the handloom embroidery of heart of turtle, back of crab,
spread with small Mokhordoma, in the middle and horse, elephants, sall trees design in both the
upper and lower margin. The Doudini hangs 2.5’ bread and 7.5’ long borderless endi scarf
handloom embroidery of Mokhordoma design in black-red endi threads. The Doudini tied her
loin with a red handloom embroidery scarf having peacock design. This scarf is woven with
brown threads with proper border of red color in the size 2 to 3.5’ long and 3.5 cm. bread. In
ancient time the Dokhona Thaosi of the bride is also woven with red color endi thread, the
handloom embroidery design of earthen lamp, butterfly, cat foot, etc of 7.5 to 8’ long. The Alon
or the Sadri is also have design with small Mokhordoma Agor, full of stars in row have the size
of 1.25’ bread and 5’ long. All those clothes and costume were made with free of cost but with
dedication, skill, creative mind, self innovation and durable time. This was the result of inter
related efforts of the creative mind in the hands of creative persons.
The Dokhona Thaosi or Agor Gwnang Dokhona has verities of handloom embroidery
like--- Phahar Agor (hill design), Daorai Mwkhreb (peacock design), Phareo Megon (design of
pigeon eye), Daothu Godo (dove eye), Thaigir Bibar (wood apple flower), Dahra Mohor (mat
form), Dingkhia Agor (fern design), Bwigri Bibar (palm flower), Mwider Agan (Elephant foot),
Maozi Agan (Cat foot), Agor Gidir (big design), Bonduram Agor (Bonduram design), etc. as
stated above. The Boro women also design in their clothes on the basis of their imagination.
Along with the Dokhona the Boro women use Alon or Sadwr or Zwmgra decorated with various
handloom embroidery small scarfs on their body and verities of blouse. At present day the Boro
women also use the costume like- Sari, Surider, Blouse, Skirts, Nightly, etc. use by their
neighbors. It can be said that ---- A Boro young girl with her woven handloom embroidery
Dokhona and Alon with attractive colors looks like a flower blooming around the earth.
Attracted to other people:
The Boro women attracted Assamese and other people with their handloom embroidery
and the art of spinning and weaving. The Boro handloom clothes of verities have good demands
in markets of various platforms. The training conducted by the handloom and textile schools of
the Government of Assam also taking steps o trained the art of Boro handloom embroidery
through machine. The endi clothes of the Boro women are very smooth and thick so the other
Assamese and outsiders people chose it. Today all kinds of quality, colors, valuation clothes and
costume of Boros are available in the shop of Boro clothes and costume. The clothes and
costume of Boros are not inferior to any other Hindu, Assamese clothes and costume. Lady
Haidary of Sweden, the wife of the last Governor of Assam under the British rule Sir Saleh
Akbary Haidary said by admiration that---- I have travelled through the world with my husband
but I have not seen any part of the world that a mother has spun and woven the cloth for her and
for her children. This exhibits which I have seen today are the best specimen, I have ever seen in
India and abroad9. The admiration of the Lady Haidary was long gone. Tremendous changes
have gone till today in the Boro clothes and costume.
Conclusion:
The distinct clothes and costume of the Boros have attraction to another racial people of
various parts of Assam, NE India, India, Nepal and abroad. The contemporary spinning, weaving
and handloom embroidery clothes and costume of the Boros have become the time tested
occupation for some of the indigenous Boro people. The adequate care and recognition and
timely intervention by the authority in proper stage and encouragement is necessary--- in such
way like the use of Aronai in high profile social podium to welcome the guest in the state, NE
India and even Country. Let the world know about the clothes and costume of the Boros.
The distinct clothes and costume of the Boros have attraction to another racial people of
various parts of Assam, NE India, India, Nepal and abroad. The contemporary spinning, weaving
and handloom embroidery clothes and costume of the Boros have become the time tested
occupation for some of the indigenous Boro people. The adequate care and recognition and
timely intervention by the authority in proper stage and encouragement is necessary--- in such
way like the use of Aronai in high profile social podium to welcome the guest in the state, NE
India and even Country. Let the world know about the clothes and costume of the Boros.
Comments
Post a Comment