The Community of Puan Cloth Weavers

The Lengpui Airport welcomes you with decor paying homage to the Puan weavers of Mizoram, with various motifs lining walkways to and from the airstrip.

The Puan textiles of Mizoram are a way of life for the Mizo people. Through different motifs and colours, intrinsically woven on backstrap loin looms (Kuttah) or frame looms, they are a reflection of the rich culture and environs of the state.

A view of the dense Aizawl city, the largest in Mizoram and also its capital.

The city grows vertically rather than horizontally owing to its terrain, with some unique architecture.

The narrow sloping streets of the city are lined with vertically growing buildings on either side.

The Lengpui village is also where you find the loin loom weavers making Puan.

Tailors from various communities and even from other states have set up shop in the upper level at the Bada Bazaar, with the impressive view of Aizawl City behind them.

A variety of Puan cloth is sold in the main market in Aizawl.

The shopkeepers rent the shop or Dawr from the local government at Rs. 1700 per month.

Community work is an important facet of life as tribal identities are held proudly and collectively.

A gracious way of interacting and the harmony of family life that goes on at many levels in the same spaces, is a common feature in Mizoram.

The state also boasts of a high literacy rate for women.

Loin loom Puan weaver, Lalchhanhimi, with the loom called kuttah set up in her house, while her husband makes some burmese tea in the kitchen in the background.

Lachhanhimi takes advantage of the light penetrating through the large window of the house to help her see her work better, a good way to also connect with the occasional passer-by.

The window also doubles up as a
spot to relax after a long day's work.

Seen here winding the yarn into a ball with the aid of a charkha wheel set-up in the multipurpose space in her house. A yarn bowl is kept handy to collect the wound yarn and an ashtray for throw-away scraps.

Lalchhanhimi's daughter-in-law carries her baby girl in a cloth woven by her.

While her daughters-in-law can help with winding yarn and other odd jobs, they aren't trained in the actual weaving.

K. Lalmuanpuii's frame weaving workshop, the Lenbuang Handloom and Handicraft.

Seventeen frame weavers live and work in this workshop set-up and have formed quite a close-knit community amongst themselves.

The weavers lunch break is usually a pot luck they have prepared themselves comprising of rice, dal, curries, fish, and veggies, some of which are grown in the yard of the workshop.

A crop of pumpkins, grown by the weavers to use in their daily cooking. The pumpkin leaves are collected to make pakodas, while waiting for the pumkins to be ready for consumption.

K. Lalmuanpuii winding yarn on the charkha at the frame loom unit, Lenbuang Handloom and Handicraft, that she also runs.

K. Lalmuanpuii with her weavers- Thanga, Mawipuii, Sangliani, Sangi, Tauhtauhi, Ruatruati, Chhawnvunga, Neihpuia, Sawhmuka, Lianpuii, Mawizuali, Momokhai, Minipuii, Mawitei at the frame loom unit, Lenbuang Handloom and Handicraft.

Read more about Puanchei, backstrap weaving of Mizoram here:
- Process
- Products