Sacred and War Weaves of Assam: A Glimpse

Illustrated lecture by Sangeeta Barooah Pisharoty, senior journalist and writer, author of the recently published book, The Assamese – Portrait of a Community (Aleph: 2023)

Chair: Dr. Arshiya Sethi, dance scholar and author

The deep connect between textiles and civilisations is an old story. Weaves have a non-verbal language, mirroring the socio-religious and cultural history of a people. While custodians of Indian crafts have documented sacred textiles in India, the lens has not been widened yet to embrace those from North East India. In Assam, sacred weaves have an over four centuries of continued history, it is a living culture. The talk will focus on the profound bond between Assamese weaving culture and the community’s sacred, and war weaves.