Assam is home to the largest Bodo population in the country. An ethno-linguistic group, the Bodos belong to the Indo-Mongoloid groups of people and their language is derived from the Assamese-Burmese branch of the Tibeto-Burman sub-family. Besides Assam, the Bodos live in several other Indian states, including Nagaland, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, West Bengal, and Tripura, as well as in neighbouring countries such as Bangladesh and Nepal. The Bodos were formerly known as Kacharis and were among the earliest settlers of the plains of Assam. Their settlements are mostly in rural areas, and their primary occupations include agriculture, animal husbandry, handicrafts, and weaving, with these skills being passed on from one generation to the next.

Bodo culture is rich and multifaceted. Traditional customs and practices lend a distinct identity to their culture and reflect the deep bond they share with their natural world, within which they are shaped and moulded. Traditionally, it is the Bodo women who are tasked with weaving the various garments for family members, such as the dokhona, aronai, jwmgra, fasra, gamsa, maharar, and shima. This is a testimony to their prowess in weaving, highlighted by the intricate designs, patterns, and the quality of the textile.

Dokhona

The traditional attire worn by Bodo women, known as Dokhona, is an eminent symbol of their cultural identity. Dokhona is a one-piece garment measuring around 3.8m long and 1.5m wide, with thick borders running along the chest and legs and secured at the waist. Along with the dokhona, Bodos wear a long, broad scarf called Jwmgra (chadar) with beautiful designs. There are different varieties of dokhonas, but the most popular ones are the Chala Matha and Bidon, which are plain dokhonas mostly woven in yellow and used for domestic wear or as a uniform for female students.

The Dokhona Thaosi is an ornamented garment worn by the bride and her two bridesmaids during a Juli (wedding) ceremony. It is primarily made in red, with pigeon eye designs entwined in a plethora of colours. A dokhona may be fabricated in a range of vibrant hues, but the most prominent ones are yellow, red, green, and orange. The yarns used are, to a considerable extent, made of cotton, silk, and acrylic; however, weavers have been slowly gravitating towards acrylic yarns due to their greater accessibility.

Scarves and Stoles

Bodo women like to pair their dokhona with diverse types of falis (long scarves). In the olden days, women did not wear any blouses and instead covered their upper body with a fali called alowan. Aronai is another important Bodo scarf, as earlier, Bodo women would present an aronai to their husbands or loved ones as a token of affection.

The Aronai is a traditional fali worn by both the Bodo men and women. Mostly used as a ceremonial scarf, it symbolises respect as community members use it to welcome guests and for felicitations. An aronai fali’s most commonly featured motif is the hajw agor (hilly landscape). This popular scarf is woven in colourful abundance, as it is in high demand among non-Bodo customers as well. A recent trend of pairing the traditional gamsa and aronai fali with western clothes has become a way for the Bodo diaspora to stay connected with their roots. Bodo women also showcase their colourful attire through various dance forms, with the garments styled in innovative ways to suit the occasion. In winter, the aronai fali is used as a warm muffler, and while dancing, it is hung on one shoulder with both ends wrapped around the waist using a second aronai.

Jwmgra or Fashra is another scarf worn by Bodo women to cover their upper bodies. Designs used in a jwmgra are slightly larger than those on the dokhona, as it is worn as a stole and has become an accessory today. The most common design is the hajw agor. A jwmgra is almost always paired with a dokhona, completing the full traditional attire of a Bodo lady.

Gamsa is an integral part of the traditional attire of the Bodo men. Green with white borders is the most common colour combination of a typical Bodo gamsa. This multi-purpose garment is mostly utilised as domestic wear and can be used as a wrapper, loincloth, handkerchief, or towel. Traditionally, Bodo men did not wear any upper garments and would cover themselves with endi or cotton shawls to keep warm during the winter months. Such clothing trends are rare to come by now, as the tribesmen have adopted Western-style clothing. A variety of hand-worked designs, known as agor, adorns the dokhona, fali and aronai. Most commonly featured designs are daothu godo (dove’s neck), pharou megon (pigeon eye), pahar agor (hilly scenery), and mwider agan (elephant footsteps).

Weaving Techniques

Weaving and sericulture practices have always been an indispensable part of Bodo culture. All the materials required for weaving were gathered by the womenfolk, who turned them into impressive fabrics. These fabrics are usually woven on handlooms and other hand-made tools.

Weaving a single dokhona can be completed in 3-4 days. Ginning is the first pre-weaving process where the cotton balls are dried, cleaned, and the cotton fibres are extracted. It is followed by the Khundung Thunai, or spinning process, in which cotton strands are twisted together to produce yarn. During Maidi Hwnai (sizing), a coating of lubricants, such as rice powder or wheat flour, is generously applied to the yarn surfaces to increase its tensile strength. Ji Swngnai (warping) involves transferring yarn from different tubes onto a gandwi (warp beam). Ji Phannai (beaming) involves a round bamboo stick, with the strands of yarn passing through the reeds and sheet of threads placed in the groove of the beam and secured with a rope.

Looming consists of drafting, denting, and heald knitting to install the warp on the beam properly, and finalising all the arrangements needed to start weaving. Nw Khonnai (drafting) is a process in which the beam is placed horizontally on the floor between two vertical posts, supported by two temporary bamboo posts. This is done to ensure the yarn remains parallel, enabling a seamless drafting process. Then, a baleb (flat bamboo rod) is used as a lease rod and kept slightly raised to create a small opening, preventing the yarn from tangling. Khainai (denting) is a process that follows drafting, in which the warped threads are drawn through the reed with a hook, and the yarn is placed on a round bamboo stick. Heald knitting is the processing of yarn using shedding to control the movement of the warp yarn.

Weaving has always been considered a dignified work among the Bodos. Traditionally, Bodo women have used a Throw-shuttle loom, which is fastened to four wooden posts fixed to the ground. The full weaving process broadly involves repeated shedding, picking, and beating motions. The weaver sits on a low stool in front of the loom, keeping both legs on the footrest, and the warp is kept tight by a strap which is secured to the back bar of the loom. Then the shedding process begins, in which the warp threads are separated by raising and lowering the heald frames, creating a clear space for the shuttle to pass, and the weft is then pushed up against the cloth in a beating motion. This is the traditional weaving technique employed by the Bodos.

Bodo women hand-make their dyes using a variety of natural ingredients:
red colour - mangosteen plant, sapphire berry
orange colour - yellow mangosteen, coral jasmine
green colour - lima bean leaves, bark of grape tree
yellow colour - turmeric, sunflower
blue colour - star fruit.
All of these natural ingredients are ground into a powder, and the yarn is then soaked in boiling water mixed with the ingredients to produce complex, lasting colour textures.

Modern Bodo women prefer to wear the complete traditional attire, i.e., dokhona along with aronai and jwmgra, only during special occasions such as festivals and ceremonies, and while performing the traditional Bodo dance, Bagurumba. The changing trends in Bodo women’s wear are also reflected in the choice of textiles and motifs. Although the traditional styles of ornaments like thakanshri (coin necklace), aasan mutha (metal bracelet), and muthi aasan (silver bangles) have not lost their appeal, Bodo women tend to accessorise with more affordable, newer jewellery such as pendants, earrings, plastic bangles, and anklets. However, western influence is more evident in Bodo menswear, as the traditional gamsa and aronai have largely been replaced by shirts and pants.

Over the years, traditional weaving methods have been replaced by newer technologies to achieve faster, lower production costs. To preserve traditional knowledge, the local government has set up many handloom training centres. This push has also opened new entrepreneurial avenues, mostly undertaken by women. Today, many traditional Bodo garments, such as aronai fali, indishi, dokhona, gamsa, and muga paat, are promoted by locals at the international level. In collaboration with local and national organisations, Bodos now export traditional handloom textiles beyond the continental boundaries, giving an immense boost to the local economy.
The art of Bodo weaving has always been passed down from mothers to daughters, but there is a declining inclination to continue this ethnic legacy. The traditional method of weaving is also being replaced by modern machines, creating several hurdles in efforts to safeguard the Bodo heritage. Hence, concerted efforts to synergise technology and skills, with academic linkages and global outreach, are imperative to ensure the continuity of this traditional knowledge.