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Bell metal and brass have been the most commonly used metals
for the Assamese artisan. Traditional utensils and fancy articles designed
by these artisans are found in every Assamese household. The 'Xorai' and
'Bota' have been in use for centuries, to offer betel nut and paan while
welcoming a distinguished guest.
Brass is an important cottage industry with highest concentration in Hajo
of Kamrup district. The Sarthebari area of the same district is well known
for its bell metal craft. The principal items of brass are the 'kalah'
(water pot), 'sarai' (a platter or tray mounted on a base), 'kahi' (dish),
'bati' (bowl), 'lota' (water pot with a long neck) and 'tal' (cymbals).
They have also used their innovative skills to design modern-day articles
to compete with the changing times. Gold, silver and copper too have
formed part of traditional metal-craft in Assam and the State Museum in
Guwahati has a rich collection of items made of these metals. Gold however
is now used only for ornaments.
Cane and bamboo have remained inseparable parts of life in
Assam. They happen to be the two most commonly used items in daily life,
ranging from household implements to construction of dwelling houses to
weaving accessories to musical instruments.
The 'jaapi', the traditional sum-shade continues to be the most
prestigious of bamboo items of the state, and it has been in use since the
days when the great Chinese traveller Hiuen `Tsang came to Assam that
visitors are welcomed with a jaapi.
Cane and bamboo furniture on the other hand have been a hit both in the
domestic as well as export market, while 'paati', the traditional mat has
found its way into the world of interior decoration. A whole range of
fishing implements, 'jokoi', 'khaloi', 'juluki', 'polo' and so on, are
also made of bamboo and cane, while their replicas have found place in the
modern day drawing room.
Assam is the home of several types of silks, the most
prominent and prestigious being 'muga', the golden silk exclusive only to
this state. Apart from muga, there is 'paat', as also 'eri', the later
being used in manufacture of warm clothes for winter.
Every Assamese woman irrespective of caste, creed or religion can weave
clothes on the loom. 'Mekhelas', 'Chadars', 'Rihas', 'Gamochas', you just
name them, and they will weave them for you. Weaving in Assam, as they
say, is not just a commercial venture, but is actually a labour of love.
The Enchanting Attires
The famous 'Vrindavani Vastra', now preserved in a London museum in bits
and pieces, was woven by none other than Shri Sankaradeva, the great
religious and social leader of the 16th century Assam. Weaving in Assam is
so replete with artistic sensibility and so intimately linked to folk life
that Gandhiji, during his famous tour to promote "Khadi" and "Swadeshi",
was so moved that he remarked: "Assamese women weave fairy tales in
their clothes!"
The Tribals on the other hand have a wide variety of colourful costumes,
some of which have earned international repute through the export market.
The toys of Assam have been broadly classified under four
heads:
Clay Toys
Pith
Wooden and Bamboo Toys
Cloth and Cloth-and-Mud Toys
A Traditional Craft
While the human figure, especially dolls, brides and grooms, is the most
common theme of all kinds of toys, a variety of animal forms have also
dominated the clay-toy scene of Assam. Clay toys, traditionally made by
the 'Kumhar' and 'Hira' communities, have often depicted different animals
too, while gods, goddesses and other mythological figures also find
importance in the work of the traditional artist.
'Pith' or Indian Cork has also been used for toy making since centuries
in Assam. Such toys are chiefly made in the Goalpara region and they
include figures of gods, animals and birds, the last of which again
dominate the over-all output. Wood and bamboo on the other hand have been
in use for making toys for several centuries and like the other mediums,
come as birds, animals and human figures.
Toys of cloth as also with a mixture of cloth and mud too have
constituted part of the rich Assamese toy-making tradition. While the art
of making cloth toys have been traditionally handed down from mother to
daughter in every household, the cloth and mud toys are generally used for
puppet theatres. Among the household toys, the bride and groom are the
most common characters, while the other varieties have animals and
mythological characters as the plays demand.
Pottery is probably as old as human civilisation itself. In
Assam, pottery can be traced back to many centuries back. "Varahamihira",
as the legend goes, stayed in a potters' village called "Lehidongora"
on his tour to Kamrupa, where later was born, of his blessings, "Daak-Purush",
known for his famous sayings.
The Kumhars and Hiras are two traditional potter communities of Assam and
while the Kumars use the wheel to produce his pots, the Hiras are probably
the only potters in the world who do not use the wheel at all. Again,
among the Hiras, only the womenfolk are engaged in pottery works, while
their men help them in procuring raw materials and selling the wares.
The most commonly used pottery products include earthen pots and
pitchers, plates, incense-stick holders, earthen lamps etc, while
modern-day decorative have also found place in their latest designs.
Assam has always remained one of the most forest-covered
states of the country and the variety of wood and timber available here
have formed part of the people's culture and economy. An Assamese is said
to be able to identify the timber by touching it even in darkness and has
produced a series of items from it.
Decorative panels in the royal 'Ahom' palaces of the past and the
600-year old 'Sattras' or Vaishnavite monasteries are intricately carved
on wood. A special class of people who excelled in woodcarving came to be
known as "Khanikar", a surname proudly passed down from
generation to generation.
The various articles in a Sattra and 'Naamghar' (place of worship) are
still cut on wood, depicting the 'Guru Asana' (pedestal of the lords),
apart from various kinds of birds and animals figuring in mythology.
Modern-day Khanikars have taken to producing articles of commercial value,
including figures of one-horned Rhino and replicas of the world-famous
Kamakhya temple - two items heading the list of demands of a visitor from
outside.
With the tribal art and folk elements forming the base of
Assamese culture, masks have found an important place in the cultural
activities of the people. Masks have been widely used in folk theatres and
'Bhaonas', with the materials ranging from terracotta to pith to metal,
bamboo and wood. In the bhaonas, masks are a must; especially for those
playing the parts of mythological characters like 'Hanuman', 'Ravana',
'Garuda', 'Jatayu' etc. and these are made from different materials
varying from place to place.
Similarly, among the tribals too, the use of masks is varied and
widespread, especially in their colourful dances, which again revolve
chiefly around their typical tribal myths and folklore. Such traditional
masks have of late found their way to the modern-day drawing rooms as
decorative items and wall hangings, thus providing self-employment
opportunities to those who have been traditionally making them.
Gold has always constituted the most-used metal for
jewellery in Assam, while the use of silver and other metals too have been
there for centuries. Gold was locally available, flowing down several
Himalayan Rivers, of which Subansiri is the most important. In fact, a
particular tribe of people, the Sonowal Kacharis was engaged only for gold
washing in these rivers.
Jorhat in Upper Assam is one place where the traditional Assamese form of
manufacture of jewellery is still in vogue, and people flock to the Jorhat
Sonaris to get the exquisite Assamese jewellery. Assamese jewellery
include the 'Doog-Doogi', 'Loka-Paro', 'Bana', 'Thuriya', 'Gaam-Gharu',
'Gal-Pata', 'Jon-Biri', 'Dhol-Biri' and 'Keru'.
Terracotta as a medium has dominated the handicraft scene of Assam since time immemorial. While the famous Ambari excavation in the heart of Guwahati threw light on the rich tradition that this craft has been handed down from generation to generation without break. Today we have the descendents of such families engaged in improvised terracotta versions of various common figures from gods and goddesses to mythological characters, while toys, vases, etc have also found a new life. The Kumhar and Hira communities have also improved their skills to compete with the modern competitors, in the process adding new vigour to their traditional wares.
The tradition of paintings in Assam can be traced back to
several centuries in the past. The gifts presented to Hiuen `Tsang and
Harshavardhana by Kumar Bhaskara, the king of Kamrupa, included a number
of paintings and painted objects, some done on exclusive Assam Silk.
Assamese literature of the medieval period abound in reference to
'Chitrakars' and 'Patuas' who were expert painters who used various
locally-available materials like 'Hengool' and 'Haital'.
A large number of manuscripts of that era have excellent paintings in
them, some of the most famous being "Hastividyarnava" (a
treatise on elephants), "Chitra-Bhagavata" and Gita-Govinda.
Ahom palaces and Sattras and Naamghars etc. still abound in
brightly-colorued paintings depicting various stories and events from
history and mythology. In fact, the motifs and designs contained in
Chitra-Bhagavata have now become a traditional style for Assamese painters
of the later period and are still in practice today.
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