Menu
close

TRADITIONAL MOTIFS & THE REVIVAL OF KHNENG EMBROIDERY

Meghalaya is a land of vibrant tribal communities – the Khasis, Jaintias, and Garos – as well as minor tribes like the Hajongs, Koch, and Rabhas. To the people of Meghalaya, weaving is an esteemed heirloom, a source of pride intertwined with ancestral knowledge and cherished family secrets that trickled down the generations.

The State is a domain of traditional textiles and fabrics, and these woven treasures bear exquisite and intricate patterns that are alive with colour, form, and inherited wisdom. Each design narrates a story of the culture, belief, folklore, and nature, bringing to life on fabric the traditions of the people.

Designs of a People

As the loom dances, it crafts fabrics that mirror the heart of Meghalaya. As the patterns take form, the designs expose the soul of Meghalaya. We have the Khasis’ red and yellow fine checks of the jain thohriawstem, reminiscent of Ri-Bhoi. This small checkered design adorns traditional shawls worn by both men and women of the Khasi tribe during significant occasions. The exciting colours come from natural dyes – striking red from lac and turmeric yellow, a combination embodying an enduring cultural legacy.
Large checkered patterns characterise the Jainthohbah, another style often found on shawls Khasi women love to don. Traditionally woven with Eri Silk, these patterns are now also embraced on cotton fabrics, symbolising the adaptation and continuity of artistic expression.
he captivating Khmat Pattern, or eye pattern, holds a special place in the heart of the Khat-ar Lyngdoh, a revered sub-tribe of Ri-Bhoi known to be skilled weavers.
These intricate designs resemble triangular shapes and are often found woven into their traditional dress, including the thoh pan (dancers’ waistband) and the jainpein (wraparound skirt), preserving the beauty of their heritage.
The Jaintias’ enchanting mauve and black, thoh saru stripes, will never fail to accentuate the elegance of their wearers and add to their grace.
In the world of the Garos, the muikron, their signature concentric diamond motif, like a watchful eye, adorns the borders of their dakmanda and dakchari. The muikron is more than a motif; it symbolises auspiciousness.

The Diamond Motif stands out with a fascinating origin story from the Mangsang area in East Garo Hills, Meghalaya.
In ancient times, the Mangsang region was home to abundant peacocks, and the locals drew inspiration from the mesmerising beauty of a peacock’s eye for their diamond motifs. Over time, the design evolved into a perfectly shaped diamond, which now serves as a symbol of status and identity for the Garos, adorning their ethnic wear with grace and significance.
hese patterns intertwine with geometric shapes, linear tales, and zigzag stories drawn from nature’s heartland and stories of long ago.

Intricate designs grace the fabric of the Hajong tribe’s cherished festive shawl, Argon. This traditional fabric, worn with the wraparound Pathin, elegantly drapes the community’s women. Crafted through shuttleweaving, these Argons stand out with their grand symmetrical motifs, adorned with captivating largescale symmetric geometrical designs and gracefully stylised leaves and blossoms.

Dramatic Revival of Khneng Embroidery

Another almost forgotten art form, Khneng embroidery, is now brought back from the ashes, thanks to the Northeast Slow Food and Agrobiodiversity Society (NESFAS). This rare art of over two centuries from Mustoh village on the Bangladesh border was almost lost until NESFAS stumbled upon it and saved it from extinction.
Handed down from women to women over the generations, in 2014, only three women were left with the art skills. The numbers have swelled to twelve now, with six more under training.
Khneng means border in the Mustoh dialect. It takes inspiration from the centipede’s graceful form, with its hundred legs tracing the ground in perfect movement. In khneng embroidery, three parts weave the tale:
• Treng – the outermost, mirroring the centipede’s legs
• Khang – two parallel lines defining the midsection’s tapestry
• Khet – delicate transverse lines creating mid-section segments for motifs to fill.
This intricate embroidery form is precise and detailed, demanding long hours of meticulous and exact needlework. Khneng embroidery is possible only on eri and other broad-fibre fabric, such as cotton, because each fabric thread has to be lifted individually to fill in the patterns. Khneng is, therefore, not possible on mulberry or fine silk.
Wool is the preferred thread for this art, and traditionally, dark threads dominate the patterns, which are traditionally geometric lines and shapes. However, the khneng embroiderers are now experimenting with lighter shades and filling in with more exciting motifs and designs.
he traditional wear includes a wraparound called the Jainpien, and a shawl called the Jainkup both made with handwoven Eri silk embroidered with Khneng. The Jainpien has vertical borders and the Jainkup has horizontal borders.
The women of Mustoh and Shella drape the traditional ‘Dhara’ that they call the Jainit around the chest and tie it as a cape unlike the rest of the women of the Khasi Hills who drape it from both sides of the shoulders.
Copyright@ 2024 Department of Textiles Sericulture All Rights Reserved.
envelopephone-handsetmap-markercrossmenuchevron-upchevron-down
linkedin facebook pinterest youtube rss twitter instagram facebook-blank rss-blank linkedin-blank pinterest youtube twitter instagram