In Assam, weaving is an essential part of the state's cultural heritage and its economic livelihood. There are many “ashrams” (sanctuaries) whose main function is to help women survive from income produced by their weaving. This a private NGO-sponsored ashram is run mostly by women who make cloths out of Assamese silks. Like other self-sustaining women co-operatives, we found it to be a fascinating space of hybridity, using traditional and hand-made tools to recreate an ancient textile for the modern market.
Muga silk was once made for home consumption by the members of a family. Woven patterns were a form of storytelling reflecting the local environment and daily life. This form of creative, cultural expression is slowly being lost because so much of silk production has shifted to commercial sites.