In the picturesque landscapes of the Ri-Bhoi and Garo Hills districts of Meghalaya, a rich tradition of dyeing thrives, trickling down generations. The art would have languished for a handful of entrepreneurs who struggled to keep it alive and pass the knowledge on.
The Government, too, pitched in to boost the traditional textile-producing effort of the indigenous people of the State, particularly the ryndia-producing ones, resulting in a resurgence of the craft of dyeing.
The skilled dyers of Ri-Bhoi and Garo Hills have perfected the art of creating vibrant and enduring hues on textiles. Dyes and mordants originate from natural sources such as plants and minerals. Colours that emanate from these materials not only add beauty to the fabrics but they enhance the eye appeal and market value of the fabrics, which are also of substantial economic significance for the artisans.
Indigenous dye-yielding plants are plentiful in this region, and the dyers have recognised the properties of an increasing number of plants. A few years ago, the dyers used only a handful of colours besides red, yellow, and black. Currently, thirty-three colours are on record, which illustrates the resilience and innovativeness of the dyers. A few plants are in the list below:
Plants for dyeing:
- Tea leaves – (Camellia sinensis)
- Onion peel – (Allium cepa)
- Turmeric (Curcuma longa)
- China rose flower (Hibiscus rosa sinensis)
- Chako or Anatto or lipstick tree – (Bixa orellana)
- Dimble – (Mimusops elengi)
Plants for Mordanting:
- Sohtung leaves – (Terminalia chebula)
- Snep sohmylleng - (Tsuga canadensis)
- Waitlam pyrthat - (Oroxylum indicum)
- Sla Sohkhu – (Baccaurea ramiflora)
- Gosampe leaves – (Baccaurea motleyana)
Pre-mordanting is essential for achieving better colour fastness. Mordanting binds the dye molecules to the fibre, making them insoluble. Most fabrics, including eri, need pre-mordanting before dyeing to retain colour. Some shades call for post mordanting also.
The dyeing process needs temperature control between 80-85⁰C for an hour. To prevent fading of colour, dyers soap the freshly dyed fabric with crushed soap nuts (Sapindus mukorossi) or mild soap and then dry it at room temperature.
