Sualkuchi: Commercial Weaving Enclave of Assam

Discover Sualkuchi, a weaving center in Assam, known for its traditional silk textiles

Dastkari Haat Samiti

Dastkari Haat Samiti

Sualkuchi Weaving (2018-03)Dastkari Haat Samiti

India’s north eastern region has a rich hand weaving heritage. Unlike other parts of the country, here weaving is almost exclusively a women’s craft, done on the backstrap loom in the home. Production is mostly for self-consumption or for local markets. The many tribes of the north east have their distinct weaving traditions, with their own specific designs and motifs. In this setting, Sualkuchi, on the banks of the mighty Bramhaputra river and 35 km from the state capital of Assam, is an exception. 

Sualkuchi Weaving (2018-03)Dastkari Haat Samiti

A commercial weaving enclave, handloom weaving in Sualkuchi is said to date back to the 11th century, when it was introduced under the Ahomiya kings. Over the years, Sualkuchi developed as a weaving village, its skilled weavers making luxurious silks that were patronised by the local royalty. Sualkuchi’s weavers hail from both non-tribal and tribal communities and both men and women work at the looms. 

Sualkuchi Weaving (2018-03)Dastkari Haat Samiti

The approach road to Sualkuchi is lined with shops selling colourful silk fabrics.

Sualkuchi Weaving (2018-03)Dastkari Haat Samiti

The narrow streets of the town have homes and workshops in a seamless continuum. The streets are lined with small weaving units, producing textiles based on traditional Assamese designs.

Peeping in through a window is likely to reveal someone working at a loom.

Sualkuchi Weaving (2018-03)Dastkari Haat Samiti

Sualkuchi fabrics are rooted in Assam’s traditional heritage. Here, a weaver shows a mekhela (women’s attire) just off the loom.

Sualkuchi Weaving (2018-03)Dastkari Haat Samiti

Unlike most weaving centres of Assam, or indeed of the region, in Sualkuchi there are both men and women weavers.

Sualkuchi Weaving (2018-03)Dastkari Haat Samiti

There is also a large number of migrant labour: weavers who have come in search of work. Seen here are two migrant workers in their living and working space.

While the one in the foreground is busy on her loom, her co-worker is preparing the midday meal.

Sualkuchi Weaving (2018-03-01)Dastkari Haat Samiti

Seen here is the simple setting of the typical weaver's work place in Sualkuchi. Here, a craftswoman is filling a bobbin of weft yarn using a charkha.

Sualkuchi Weaving (2018-03)Dastkari Haat Samiti

The workshops are a mix of family-run and commercial establishments.

Pictured here is the lady of the house who performs ancillary functions like preparing the yarn, while she supervises the paid workers.

Sualkuchi Weaving (2018-03)Dastkari Haat Samiti

Sualkuchi’s weaving is not restricted to any particular community.

Ram Bayan, pictured here preparing weft yarn to be used on a loom, comes from a line of traditional musicians. His son still plays the drum in the community prayer hall.

His family weaving unit has for generations been supplying traditional fabrics to the Garo tribe in the neighbouring state of Meghalaya.

Sualkuchi Weaving (2018-03)Dastkari Haat Samiti

Weaving here is mostly done on frame looms fitted with jacquard mechanisms.

Sualkuchi Weaving (2018-03)Dastkari Haat Samiti

Looms are typically made of wood and bamboo.

Sualkuchi Weaving (2018-03)Dastkari Haat Samiti

Since the fabric is in plain weave, only two shafts are required. The additional treadle operated by the weaver’s foot controls the use of the jacquard.

Sualkuchi Weaving (2018-03-01)Dastkari Haat Samiti

In the video, a traditional gamcha, in its signature red and white colours is being woven. The weaver is using fly shuttle on a wooden frame loom.

Sualkuchi Weaving (2018-03)Dastkari Haat Samiti

Some weaving units have warping drums on which the warp for the loom is prepared according to the required length and design.

Besides for their own use, they rent out the drum to other weavers for a small fee per warp.

Sualkuchi Weaving: Silks of Assam (2018-03)Dastkari Haat Samiti

Over time, the weaving in Sualkuchi has adapted to market pressures and demands. A range of natural and synthetic yarns are used. Similarly, while traditional designs continue to be produced for traditional markets, new colourful fabrics are made to suit current urban tastes. Jacquard technology is widely used, enabling mass production of intricate motifs. 

Sualkuchi Weaving (2018-03)Dastkari Haat Samiti

Sualkuchi’s handloom weaving has given rise to support businesses such as the making of jacquard designs.

Here, a worker at a jacquard design centre shows the graph for a 'Kaziranga design': based on animals found in Assam’s famous Kaziranga National Park.

Sualkuchi Weaving (2018-03)Dastkari Haat Samiti

Jacquard cards based on the design are punched and threaded together in sequence before they are attached to the loom.

They decide the lifting order of warp threads in the fabric being woven, hence defining the woven design.

Sualkuchi Weaving (2018-03-01)Dastkari Haat Samiti

A card punching machine used for translating designs onto cards used on the jacquard machine.

Sualkuchi Weaving (2018-03-01)Dastkari Haat Samiti

Cards being punched for the jacquard machine. These cards determine the lifting order of warp threads on a loom.

Sualkuchi Weaving: Silk weaving of Assam (2018-03) by Anuradha Pegu, weaver and National Award recipientDastkari Haat Samiti

Weaves of Sualkuchi

Sualkuchi is known for typical Assamese designs. Let us have a look at some beautiful weaves in traditional and non-traditional colours and motifs made in this famous weaving town of Assam. 

Sualkuchi Weaving (2018-03)Dastkari Haat Samiti

Sualkuchi is known for typical Assamese designs. Red with accents of black is one of the main colours traditionally used on natural Eri and Muga silk.

Sualkuchi Weaving: Silk weaving of Assam (2018-03)Dastkari Haat Samiti

The traditional bridal wedding attire is the three piece: mekhela, chadar and riha in white and gold.

Sualkuchi Weaving (2018-03)Dastkari Haat Samiti

Sualkuchi now also produces a range of colourful silks that cater to new consumer preferences.

Sualkuchi Weaving (2018-03)Dastkari Haat Samiti

In fact mekhela chadar in vibrant hues far outnumber the traditional undyed silks in the many small shops of the weaving town.

Sualkuchi Weaving: Silk weaving of Assam (2018-03)Dastkari Haat Samiti

In traditional designs too, commercial pressures have brought about changes in the yarns used. The gold in the design, once made of fine metallic wire, is now made of metallic or synthetic coating on polyester yarn.

Sualkuchi Weaving: Silk weaving of Assam (2018-03)Dastkari Haat Samiti

While traditional colour schemes are still used, chemical dyes in place of the original natural dyes make Sualkuchi weaves cheaper and more accessible to a wider market.

Sualkuchi Weaving: Silk weaving of Assam (2018-03)Dastkari Haat Samiti

Designers and weavers also use new colour schemes in combination with traditional motifs and patters.

Sualkuchi Weaving: Silk weaving of Assam (2018-03)Dastkari Haat Samiti

While Assamese silks such as Eri and Muga (seen here in the motifs) continue to be used, cheaper Tussar and mulberry silks from other weaving centres such as Bhagalpur and Bangalore are combined with them. These are often dyed using chemical colours.


The success of the weaving town of Sualkuchi lies in its ability to cater to a varied demand and remain relevant in the face of changing times.

Sualkuchi Weaving (2018-03)Dastkari Haat Samiti

Credits: Story

Text: Aloka Hiremath
Photography: Subinoy Das
Artisans: Artisans in Sualkuchi and Bijoynagar, Tultul Bora’s unit in Guwahati, Prayaag Barooah and associates at Fabric Plus factory Chhaygaon, Anuradha Pegu, Narmohan Das and associates in the community
Ground Facilitation: Nandini Dutta, Shri Bandopadhyay of Weavers Service Centre Guwahati, Aloka Hiremath
Curation: Ruchira Verma

Credits: All media
The story featured may in some cases have been created by an independent third party and may not always represent the views of the institutions, listed below, who have supplied the content.
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