It is well said, ‘all that is golden and shimmering is Muga’.
Muga silk is popularly known for its natural shimmering golden color and its
sumptuous royal, heavenly and sensual look. The fabric has the highest
tensile strength and is very durable. This is the second costliest fabric,
after Pashmina silk, in the world. It absorbs moisture better than ordinary
silk and hence it is more comfortable to wear. The fabric of Muga is stain
free and mainly is sought for the best quality of saris, used for furnishing
materials, decorative items and dress materials. It is hand washable and the
golden sheen of the fabric improves with every wash.Centers of Muga Silk Fabric Production
Muga or Mooga is the Assamese word for the rich amber or ochre gold color of the cocoon. The silk is produced by Antherea assama caterpillars and is found in the Brahmaputra Valley, mainly in Assam and neighboring areas of Nagaland and Meghalaya, West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh in India and some adjoining places in Myanmar and Malaysia. The unusual color of muga silk makes people to worship it as an earthly symbol of Lakshmi, the Hindu goddess of wealth. In Assam, it is believed that muga brings good luck to its owner.
Mooga was worn only by Ahom kings and noble families of Assam for six hundred years. It was unknown to the outer world until 1662 when Jean Joseph Tavernier, a French explorer, traveled through Assam. Today, ‘Mekhala Chador’ made of Muga silk forms the common costume of the Assamese.
Process of making Muga Silk Fabric
- Muga is extracted from wild silkworms which are semi-domesticated and raised outdoor on two trees Som (Machilus bombycina) or (soalu Litsea polyantha.)
- The cterpillars are placed on any of these trees to feed on the foliage. After the leaves are eaten up, they crawl down the trunk of the tree. The keepers place them in another tree.
- When the larval period comes to an end, the caterpillars again crawls down from the other tree in search of a suitable place to spin the cocoons.
- This behaviour of the worms makes the keepers to collect and control the caterpillars. The keepers place each caterpillars into a ‘jali’, a container made of dried twigs.
- The cocoon contains a very weak peduncle, silk that anchors the cocoon, and is golden-yellow.
- The cocoons are then boiled in a solution of soap and soda and are reeled on.
- Muga silk filaments have less porosity and hence cannot be bleached or dyed.
- The natural color is golden and the fabric appears as spun gold
- It has natural golden shade.
- With every wash, the golden color and shine increases.
- It is glossy with lustrous texture.
- It is very durable.
- It is a stain free fabric.
- It can be hand washed.
- It absorbs moisture better than any other silk.
- It has the highest tensile strength amongst all other natural fabrics.
- It can absorb UV rays up to 85.08%.
- It can regain moisture up to 30%.
- Muga Silk has flexibity of blending. It is blended easily with pashmina, cotton and other types of mulberey and non –mulberry silks while weaving.
- Muga is the most expensive of all silk fabrics and because of its golden luster, Muga silk is widely used for garments. In formal dresses it is used as tie, scarf, trousers and lining for other materials. In Indian dresses, the fabric is used for gorgeous and exotic sarees, ghagra, salwar suits, stole and shawl.
- Designers have identified another use of muga silk fabric, as that of Zari. Weaver now often use muga fiber instead of gold or other metallic wire.
- The durability, stain-free and moisture absorbent quality of Muga silk is suitable for home furnishing like bed spreads, cushion covers, pillow covers, curtains, wall hangings, etc. The fabric is also used in making fishing nets and rope.
