Eri silk, a prized fabric woven from the cocoons of domesticated silkworms, holds a special place in the rich cultural heritage of Meghalaya, a state in northeastern India. It is a traditional art inherited from generation to generation and treated as a means of occupation, making the clusters self-sustaining communities.[1]
Made from the domesticated silkworm Samia Cynthia Ricini, Eri Silk, locally known as Ryndia, is a traditional fabric woven by the tribes of Meghalaya. Ryndia[2] derives its name from the Castor leaves called 'Rynda,' which serve as the primary food source for the silkworms.[citation needed]
The Ri-Bhoi District is region in Meghalaya where Eri culture[3] and handloom weaving[4] continue to thrive. Weaving with Eri silk[5] is an integral part of the district's culture and heritage, handed down through generations. Exclusively carried out by women, the process involves spinning and weaving using traditional tools such as the Takli and other handmade devices. The entire value chain,[6] including silkworm rearing, application of natural dyes, and weaving, takes place within the state. Women in Meghalaya actively engage in the rearing and weaving of Eri Silk, making it a household activity exclusively conducted by them.[citation needed]
Eri Silk, commonly referred to as 'Peace Silk'[7] or the 'Fabric of Peace,[8]' is named so due to the non-violent method of silk extraction practised for generations in Meghalaya, which does not harm or kill the silkworms. This unique silk variant possesses a thicker texture and exhibits wool-like characteristics. Ryndia, known for its durability, surpasses other silk fabrics, making it an heirloom[9] material passed down through generations in Meghalaya. A distinguishing feature of Ryndia woven in Meghalaya is its 100% natural dyeing process,[10] using plants and plant parts such as turmeric, onion skins, and plant-based mordants like Sohkhu and Soh tung. These dyeing techniques are exclusively practised by weavers in Ri-Bhoi,[11] Meghalaya.[citation needed]
Ri-Bhoi District serves as the epicentre of Eri Silk weaving[12] in Meghalaya and is among the various regions where Eri culture and handloom weaving are deeply rooted in tradition.[13] The process of spinning and weaving Eri silk is exclusively carried out by women,[14] employing traditional tools such as the Takli and other handmade implements.
Meghalaya, particularly the weavers from Ri-Bhoi District, employs environmentally friendly methods by utilizing natural ingredients for dyeing Eri Silk.[15] These ingredients include flowers, leaves, vegetable peels, and tree bark, which are collected by women weavers from nearby forests. Traditionally, the artisans primarily utilise three main colours: Lac for red, turmeric for yellow, and black which is derived from iron ore. However, through training provided by government initiatives and non-governmental organizations, artisans have expanded their range of colours.[1]
What distinguishes the natural dyeing[16] process in this region is the utilization of natural dye fixatives or mordants that help the natural colours adhere to the yarn. Some examples of these natural mordants include Sohkhu tree leaves (Baccaurea ramiflora lour), tree bark of Diengrnong (local name), Sohtung leaves (Terminalia chebula retz), and others.
The weavers of Ri-Bhoi have recorded the use of thirty-three plant species for creating natural organic colours[17] to dye Eri-silk yarns. These dyestuffs and mordants are obtained from locally available plants and plant parts, such as leaves, bark, fruits, stems, and peels. Most of these plants are naturally grown, while some are cultivated in the weavers' backyards specifically for colour extraction.[citation needed]
In recognition of the significance of the traditional weaving of Eri Silk and natural dyeing Umden in Meghalaya, the Department of Textiles declared Diwon, Raid Nongtluh, located in Ri-Bhoi, as the State's first Eri Silk Village[18] on February 12, 2021.
A sketch of a royal princess (daughter of U Hajan Manik, Syiem Sohra) from 1887
Early written references
Despite scant written records on the silk industry in Meghalaya, some essential references began to appear during the British colonial period. One invaluable piece of recorded history exists in the expansively detailed 26-volume Imperial Gazetteer of India, 1908. In Volume 3[20] (pages 206-212), the Gazetteer mentioned three well-known, purely indigenous silkworms under the caption on wild silks: tasar, muga, and eri.
Tasar was widely distributed in the lower hills and plateau regions of Central India.
Muga was prevalent in Assam and Bengal.
Eri, however, "existed in semi-domestication, reared on the castor-oil plant."
The Gazetteer further noted that eri was so difficult to reel that it had to be "carded and spun—an art which was practised in the Khasi Hills of Assam long before it was thought of in Europe."
"The eri silk, on the other hand, is so extremely difficult to reel that it is nearly always carded and spun—an art which was practised in the Khasi Hills of Assam long before it was thought of in Europe."
Major P.R.T. Gurdon's contribution (1907)
Major P.R.T. Gurdon's The Khasis (1907) specifically mentioned two villages of the Jaintia Hills—Khyrwang and Nongtung. These hamlets had a fairly considerable industry of rearing their eri worms and spinning the silk from the cocoons. The eri thread itself was in high demand, reaching from the southern hills to the Mikir hills for weaving the striped cloth or "jain khyrwang," which was the "delight of mountaineers."
While the Khasis invariably obtained their silks from the Assam valley, Khyrwang, and Nongtung, Gurdon wrote that the Syntengs (Jaintias) wove their own Khyrwang[21] cloths in white, mauve and white, or chocolate and white. Both men and women wore eri clothing, but it was women alone who worked to produce them "in a leisurely manner," with the process sometimes taking up to a year to complete.
This image from page 105 of The Khasis (1914) by P. R. T. Gurdon, drawn by Miss Kirciic Scott O'Connor
Timeline
Year
Key Events in the History of Eri Silk in Meghalaya
1887
A portrait of a royal princess from the Khasi Hills, wearing traditional eri garments, is published in a French magazine.
1895
Memories of Seven Campaigns by Dr. James Howard Thornton is published, providing context to silk practices in the Khasi-Jaintia Hills.
1905-06
The British experiment with silk rearing using European silk moth species in Shillong, although it ultimately fails.
1907
Major P.R.T. Gurdon's The Khasis is published, mentioning eri silk rearing in Khyrwang and Nongtung.
1908
Imperial Gazetteer of India Volume 3 mentions eri silk, describing its production and the challenges associated with it.
1912
G.F. Smith issues memo no. 1/16 regarding the traditional loom and weaving practices in the region.
1919
G.F. Smith grants approval for the establishment of a Weaving School in Shillong, marking a significant development in the region's textile industry.
Geographical Indication (GI) tag recognition
In 2025, the traditional handloom textiles of Meghalaya received official recognition through the award of Geographical Indication (GI) tags.[22] This initiative was spearheaded by the Meghalaya Ryndia Producers Association, under the guidance of the Department of Textiles, Government of Meghalaya, with technical and logistical support from NABARD Meghalaya.
Two GI tags were granted:
Meghalaya Ryndia Textile – GI Tag No. 1112
Certified for: Ryndia yarns, textiles, textile fabrics, and clothing under Classes 23, 24, 25, and 26.
Meghalaya Khasi Handloom Products – GI Tag No. 1113
Certified for: Textiles, textile fabrics, clothing, and textile goods under Classes 24, 25, and 26.
This recognition formally acknowledges the historical and cultural importance of the region's textile legacy, particularly the traditional Eri silk weaving practices of the Khasi, Bhoi, and Jaintia communities. These practices, rooted in indigenous knowledge systems, are referenced in The Imperial Gazetteer of India (1908) and Memories of Seven Campaigns by Dr. James Howard Thornton (1895).[citation needed]
↑ Banerjee, Ashis Narayan; Kotnala, O.P.; Maulik, Sankar Roy (April 2018). Dyeing of Eri silk with natural dyes in presence of natural mordants. Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge. pp.Vol. 17(2), April 2018, pp. 396–399.
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