Assam ke Karbi Anglong area mein dekha gaya hai ki traditional dress ka demand abhi bhi kaafi high hai — chaahe old generation ho ya young, dono isko prefer karte hain. Toh Karbi mahilayen weavers ab bhi traditional kapde bana rahi hain — purane colours aur designs ko zinda rakhte hue aur sath-sath unhe modern touch bhi de rahi hain. Halanki kuch kapde aaj modern power looms se bhi banaye ja rahe hain, phir bhi traditional loom products ki beauty aur quality kabhi us level tak nahin pahuchti.
Market badh raha hai aur hum sab chahte hain ki yeh growth rukhe nahi.
Legend ke hisaab se, Karbi log shuru mein tree bark se apne bodies cover karte the. Unki mushkil dekh kar goddess Sintu ne heaven se cotton seeds lekar di un logo ko. Fir Selangdi naam ki mahila ne cotton flower se yarn spin karna invent kiya. Rimsipi naam ki dusri mahila ne weaving ka kala shuru kiya. Uske baad ek bahut hi creative mahila, Dihun ne yarn ko flower, roots, seeds etc se colour karne ka art develop kia — beautiful designs banane ke liye. Usko “ser” yani gold ke roop mein refer kiya gaya aur immortalised ho gaya as Serdihun, weaving ka patron. Aaj bhi ek ritual hota hai jisme Serdihun ki blessings maangi jaati hain taaki weavers ko body-pains na ho.
Karbi mahilayein ab bhi ‘takiri’ naam ka hand spindle use karti hain yarn spin karne ke liye. Natural dyes use hote the: shrubs, herbs, barks, roots, flowers, plants, seeds aur insect secretions. ‘Sibu’ plant specially har household mein dye ke liye ugaya jaata tha.
Karbi loom, jiska naam hai ‘kachivur-atherang’, ek backstrap loom hai — jo shayad basketry aur mat-making ke art se originate hua tha, credited to Saibisai jang-re. Yeh ek simple implement hai, in parts (mostly bamboo se):
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Therang (loom bar)
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Thening (shed rod)
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Thepun (measuring rope)
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Uvek (bobbin)
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Thelangpong (heddle rod)
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Barlim (pattern sticks)
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Ingthi (reed/comb)
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Hi-i (heddle)
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Harpi (batten)
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Honthari langpong (Bobbin)
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Thehu (backstrap)
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Dang (tightening stick)
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Lang vet (sponging stick)
Is traditional loom se, aaj bhi weavers various intricate designs banate hain — nature se inspire hoke: birds, fishes, flowers, trees. Aur modern times mein naye objects bhi designs mein dikhe — jaise aeroplane (rot ahem).
Ek notable aspect hai Karbi traditional attire ka: kapdon ke different designs aur colours specific age, sex aur social status ke liye banaye jaate the.
Karbi mahilaon ka traditional attire kuch is tarah hai:
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Pini – Basic black colour ka cloth, waist ke around belt ke saath tie kiya jaata hai. Different designs hote hain: pini jangre, pini santok, pini honki ranchom, marbong homkri, ahi cherop, chamburukso apini, pini mekserek etc. Yeh abhi bhi traditional loom pe produce hota hai.
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Pekok – Square piece of cloth, right shoulder pe tie kiya jaata hai. Alag-alag colours aur designs hote hain: pe seleng, pe duphirso, pe khonjari, pe luru, pe jangphong, pe sarpi. Pe sarpi generally older women ke liye tha; pe sleng, pe jangphong middle-aged women ke; pe duphirso young women ke liye. Par ab ye strict rule follow nahi hota. Pekok ab largely power looms se bahar Karbi Anglong ke bahar banaya jaata hai, lekin quality traditional weavers ke mood ke kadar nahin hoti.
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Vamkok – Belt jo pini ko waist pe tight karne ke liye use hota hai. Iske ends pe colourful fringes hote hain. Different designs: amekpi, amekso, abermung, thoithesuri angphar, suve arvo, phonglong angsu etc. Yeh bhi abhi bhi traditional loom se banate hain.
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Jiso – Long black cloth with designs & decorated fringes at ends. Ancient time mein women bust ke around tie karte the, lekin ab comfort aur modern look ke liye short blouse ne iski jagah le li hai.
Karbi purusho ka attire:
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Choi – Jacket worn by men. Different types: choi hongthor, choi ik, choi ang, choi miri etc. Choihongthor a ki-ik, choi hongthor ake-lok young men ke liye the; choi ang, choi miri middle-aged ya aged men ke liye.
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Poho – Headgear ya muffler ke roop mein use hota hai. Lekin chiefs ya sir-laad log white poho — long, 12½ cubit lamba — pehente hain. Different kinds: simple long white poho, poho ke-er, poho kelok with various designs.
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Rikong – Loin cloth purane time mein work ke dauran pehente the; ab rare ho chuka hai. Types: rikong jongjong (colourful designs) aur simple white rikong bamon.
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Sator – White piece of cloth worn around the waist like a dhoti covering full leg length. Long pe seleng bhi sator ke roop mein use hota hai — with colourful designs and borders — jo knee tak cover karta hai.
Inke alawa, kuch accessories bhi traditional attire ka part hain men & women dona ke liye:
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Jarong – Woven bag, multiple colours & designs. Types: jarong mokajin, jarong jambili, jarong miri. Jarong jambili auspicious occasions mein use hota hai.
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Chui – Small bag for women, silver girdle ke saath roll-up hota hai, silver coins se decorated. Betel nuts aur dusre items carry karne ke liye.
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Piba – Long thick cloth, baby carry karne ke liye either back ya front side of body. Also young girls ke head cover ke liye “Nimso kerung” dance ritual ke dauran during Chomangkan festival. Types: pi sobai, jir-ik, jiso. Jir-ik dead woman ke last rite ke time head cover ke liye bhi use hota hai.
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Pelim – Bed cloths white colour ke, designs sides pe. Kinds: pelu (men ke liye) aur piniku (women ke liye) with different designs. Wedding night pe yeh dono bed clothes exchange hote hain symbolise karne ke groom-bride ka formal union. Inka use death bed pe bhi hota hai men & women ke liye.
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Pe-um – Warm clothes ya shawls, bahut designs & colours: pe khonjari, pe sarpi arjon, rinditho, pe khirwang.
Ornaments bhi major role play karte hain. Men & women dono adorn karte the, lekin women mainly silver ornaments pehenti thi (gold nahin allowed thi unko). Men gold ornaments pehente the.
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Lek – Neck ornaments. Silver, gold, coins, colourful beads — different types: lek sobai, ser alek pongting, lek pengkhara, lek ruve, lek bonghom, lek waikom, lek manduli, lek jingjiri etc. Lek ruve, lek sobai, lek manduli men pehente the. Bahut saare aforementioned ornaments aaj milna mushkil hai.
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Roi – Bracelets for wrists: roi pengkhara, roi ke-er, roi kelok etc.
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No thengpi – Ear ornaments: types like no thengpi angrong katengbai, angrong kangchim etc for women. Men generally wore ‘norik’, made of gold/silver.
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Arnan – Rings for fingers. Types: arnan ke-et, arnan kelok, rup bonda, ser bonda, vokapardon arnan etc. Priests wore rings made of copper.
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Nokek/nokanti – Small knife women carried in their bag called nokek or tari; handle often made of ivory or buffalo horn, decorated with coins. Nokanti is a special big knife men carried, decorated with ivory, silver coins etc.
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Kove longtok – Older women used this small mortar carried in their bag for grounding betel nuts. Some used silver mortar.
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Saini hem – Small box for lime (betel-chewing). Often made of silver; small spoon fitted with a chain for taking out the lime.
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Duk keduk – Tattooed line on the face of women, from forehead down to chin. Various theories explain its origin: e.g., deterrent for invading tribes to take away beautiful women, and gradually it became a fashion. But now it’s obsolete.
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So-ik – In old times, it was a fashion for Karbi women to blacken their teeth. Wood of a tree called phar-ik was burnt to extract sticky juice used for blackening the teeth; it was believed to prevent tooth-decay.
Yeh hain kuch of the traditional attires & accessories of Karbi men & women living in the Rongkhang area. Kuch khatam ho chuke hain, kuch abhi bhi use ho rahe hain. Ye cheezen logon ne necessity ke hisaab se create ki thi aur unka utility aaj bhi uski continuity se prove hota hai.
Ek baat zaroor note karein: Karbi logon mein locality ke hisaab se thodi variations hain attire & ornaments mein bhi — toh har jagah exact same style nahin hoga.
Ab humara endeavour hona chahiye ki hum inhe preserve karein. Preservation sabse essential hai kyunki ye humari identity hain aur humari history bhi. Agar ek khatam ho jaaye, humari identity ka ek part khatam ho jata hai, humari history ka ek part destroy ho jaata hai. Modernity ke naam pe apni traditions aur culture ko distort ya destroy na karein.