Mobile And Simple Handloom Ideal For Modern Age, Passed From Assam And Northeast Tradition

Loin Loom is the indigenous handloom device of Northeast, India to produce various textiles ranging from silk, wool, jute to cotton fibers. This portable wood carved weaving device could be installed anywhere with the support of two pillars of bamboo or concrete or wood or else with strong hooks attached to a solid surface to maintain balanced job between the weaver and the frame.

Demographic basis every Loin Loom structure varies but certain vital features remains the same to identify it from four pillar static handloom bamboo device. Accordance to Tai-Phakes belonging to Assam hills region, structures loin loom in simple frame without superior designs. One end of the frame of this loin loom known as the wrap beam is held high to a bamboo pole that is hung high in mid between of two poles.

The wrap beam is about 1 meter long and 4cm to 5 cm wide in diameter which is followed below with three beams like extra wrap beam, lease rod and heald stick to regulate threads for weaving. The beating sword is the biggest piece wood of the loin loom as it is 90 cm long and 6 to 8 cm wide, shaped like half moon to help tighten the gaping in between the threads.

Traditionally in northeast including Assam, people used throw shuttle instead of modern version fly shuttle for designing and to compact the threads. Cloth beams are positioned parallel to the other end of the loin loom. The weaving belt is attached to the corner notch of the cloth beams.

The throw shuttle or pit loom is made completely out of bamboo material. The hand throw shuttle of Northeast region has a bobbin inside to decide color fiber to add vibrancy on the normal cloth piece. 

Birth of four pillar loom in India has no confirm source as to when it had emerged in India and how its birth was welcomed in all the traditional weaving communities of India. Though weaving technique was prevalent before Christ but it was India which as per to traditional practice reflects its usage much before any place on earth.

Assam reflects its crude way of taking four pillar handloom in a very simple wood frame mechanism. Assamese communities devised this four pillars wood and bamboo frame handloom with race board, sley, pulleys, temple, treadles, shuttle box, iron reed, beams and wrap beams. Weavers used to sit and craft cloth piece in various designs.

Mising to Rabha, Deori and other tribes of Assam involved in this traditional practice used to sow the seeds of weaving by engaging tender age female from 6 years by teaching how to play with mini size handloom frame. Depending on the proficiency of a female in this art seals their marriage to an eligible partner at the earliest in Northeast tradition of India.

(Information Source: Assam Textile Institute)