Traditional Silk Production in Manipur

Manipur is a state rich in culture where each tribe has its own customs and language. But from the rugged hills to the loamy valley, there is one common thread that unites them in tradition: all across the land, Manipuri women are expert weavers.

There was a time not long ago when handloom skills belonged to the general education of every Manipuri girl, and she who had not mastered the arts of spinning, dyeing and weaving could later have difficulty finding a husband. Such was the importance of handwork as a component of household income.

Even today, despite global mechanization of textile production, weaving in Manipur remains a thriving cottage industry whose techniques are handed down and whose products are unique and distinctive. For example, among the Meitei community who inhabit the Imphal Valley, almost every step that goes into the creation of silk garments is done by artisans working from their homes.

Farmers hand pick silk worm cocoons found growing on mulberry trees. These are then boiled and sold to silk spinners. Extraction of the raw silk from the cocoons onto reels is done both by hand and in an automated process. The raw silk thread is then transferred onto a 4-pronged spindle where it is wound into loose skeins. These skeins are boiled and subsequently dyed by hand based on orders received from weavers.

To produce one women’s shawl, known as a “rani phi”, a weaver requires around 40 – 50 grams of silk which is the yield from around 50 silk worm cocoons. Depending on the intricacy of the pattern, she will then work an average of one week to complete the shawl. This is a highly labor intensive and time consuming process but without a doubt, the beauty of the finished result is unequalled!

It can only be hoped that the indigenous knowledge which this type of weaving entails remains intact and is perpetuated. Fortunately, given the growing demand for hand-crafted goods by discerning collectors and customers world-wide, the future holds promise.