A Assam

Assam, often referred to as one of the enchanting Seven Sisters of the North East, is not just a region of natural beauty but also a land deeply rooted in culture and tradition. The people of Assam hold their cultural heritage in high esteem and have gracefully preserved and passed down their traditions from generation to generation. In this article, we'll delve into the exquisite and distinctive clothing that is an integral part of Assam's cultural identity.

The Mekhela Chador is the traditional dress of Assam. Women and young girls from Assam wear it. It has two parts. The Mekhela is the bottom part. It's a long cloth wrapped around the waist, made into pleats, and tucked in. The Chador is the top part. It's another long cloth. One end goes into the Mekhela, and the rest wraps around the body. Wearing it needs practice, especially the triangular folds in the Chador. 

In Assam, Bodo men usually dress simply. They often wear a Gamosa, a traditional Assamese cloth. It's wrapped from the waist to the knees, and they used to keep their upper body bare. Nowadays, they also wear shirts. Their shoes are unique, called Khorom, made of wood.  

Bodo women wear a special dress called Dokhna. It's a long cloth that goes from the chest to the ankles. They wrap it around their body once and tie it at the waist. Dokhna comes in bright colors and patterns, with Agor (decorative borders). A Dokhna without Agor is a bridal dress, called Salamatha. Bodo people are skilled in using eri fibers to make these elegant clothes.

The Mishing tribe in Assam has its own style of dressing. Men wear a Gonru Ugon, which is like a dhoti, a cloth worn from the waist down. They also wear Mibu Galuk, a shirt-like top, and often use the Gamosa Dumer, a traditional Assamese cloth.  

Mishing women wear the Mekhela Chador, called Yakan Age-Gasar in their language. It's usually black. They like simple dresses but with bright colored blouses. At weddings and special events, these bright colors really stand out. Their clothes are simple but very colorful and beautiful.

The Rabha tribe in Assam has its own special way of dressing. The men usually wear a dhoti and a Gamosa, just like in other parts of Assam. They like wearing these in white or other colors.

Rabha women dress elegantly in a skirt-like cloth called Koum Kontong. It wraps around their waist and has beautiful patterns. They also wear Kambang, a top to cover their upper body. A special part of their dress is a belt called Labok, made of shells and pearls, worn around the abdomen.

In the Ahom community of Assam, women wear the mekhela-chador, which is a traditional Assamese outfit. It's made from different kinds of silk, like muga and mulberry. They also wear other types of clothes like the cheleng-chador and a piece called riha. Along with these, they usually wear a blouse.

The men in the Ahom community dress usually wear a kurta, which is a kind of long shirt, or they might wear a regular shirt. For the lower part of their body, they wear a dhoti, which is a long piece of cloth wrapped around the waist and legs. This traditional way of dressing is part of their culture and adds to the rich variety of clothing styles in Assam.

Karbi women and girls in Assam wear a special dress. They use a cloth called Pinicamflak, tied around the waist, similar to a Mekhela. For the upper part of their body, they wear an artistic cloth named Pe-kok. They also wear a beautifully designed waistband called Wankok. This style is unique to the Karbi community and shows their traditional fashion.