Mekhela chador
Encyclopedia
Assamese people
The Assamese people are a well-defined subgroup of People of Assam. Though sometimes they are defined as the Assamese-speaking Indo-Aryans of the Brahmaputra valley,, this definition is not legally binding...
dress worn by women.
There are two main pieces of cloth that are draped around the body.
The bottom portion, draped from the waist downwards is called the mekhela . It is in the form of a very wide cylinder that is folded into pleats to fit around the waist and tucked in.
The top portion of a long length of cloth that has one end tucked into the upper portion of the Mekhela and the rest draped over and around the rest of the body. Invariably there is a blouse that is worn underneath the top half of the body.
Weaving materials
Traditional Mekhela Chadors are made from the following materials:- CottonCottonCotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective capsule, around the seeds of cotton plants of the genus Gossypium. The fiber is almost pure cellulose. The botanical purpose of cotton fiber is to aid in seed dispersal....
- Muga
- Pat
Some modern low-budget sets are also made with varying blends of cotton and Muga or Pat silk with synthetic materials.
See also
- RihaRiha (garment)Riha is part of a three piece Assamese traditional garment worn with the Mekhela chador....
- SariSariA sari or sareeThe name of the garment in various regional languages include: , , , , , , , , , , , , , is a strip of unstitched cloth, worn by females, ranging from four to nine metres in length that is draped over the body in various styles. It is popular in India, Bangladesh, Nepal,...
- Textiles and dresses of AssamTextiles and dresses of AssamThere is a wide variety of clothing and textiles involved with Assamese culture. An enumeration of the significant items as well as terms used to refer to them is shown below.*Cotton*Dhoti*Endi*Eri*Gamosa*Jaapi*Khadi*Mekhela chador*Muga silk*Pat silk...
- Textile manufacturing terminologyTextile manufacturing terminology-A:AbsorbencyAcetateAcrylicAida clothAlnageAlpacaAngoraAppliquéAramidArgyle-B:Backstrap loomBaizeBallistic nylonBatikBedford-CordBiasBinding...