“Ryndia” is the Khasi name for eri, named after the ryndia (castor) plant that nourishes the eri silkworms. Called the Peace Sik, or Ahimsa Silk, eri is beloved of the people and cherished by all and can be worn with a clear conscience because its manufacture is without brutality, meaning the extraction of its yarn is without cruelly boiling the silkworms and killing them, unlike other silks. Eri’s texture isn’t as smooth as mulberry and muga, but it has the feel and behaviour of wool. Its yarn is the only one that’s spun, not reeled.

Mulberry silk has excellent value for its fine texture and elegant sheen, and the Khasi women never fail to proudly drape themselves with mulberry silk “dhara” on festive occasions.

Muga is the exclusive golden silk, extra- luxurious and the most expensive, and it is also the most difficult to produce. Muga silkworms thrive outdoors, feeding on the leaves of mostly the Som or the Soalu tree. The outdoors is fraught with danger from the elements and predators, and the rearers must keep constant watch to mitigate harvest loss.

Tassar is the wild silk from different species of silkworms reared outdoors. It is challenging to produce, and so does not have many takers.

Weaving in Meghalaya dates back hundreds of years. As everywhere else, the art of weaving in Meghalaya also connects generations, the present tied to their ancestors along with their knowledge and wisdom, making members of the human community that keeps the customs, cultures, and traditions alive. This connection keeps the art alive and helps prevent the community from getting caught and mesmerized in the intersections of quick-fix and instant solutions offered by modern and emerging technologies.