Tools and Instruments

Sandri is a circular bamboo sieve. It is made from bamboo, the bamboo is sliced into thin slides and weaved, the use of Sandri is mainly used for separating the husk and the small broken rice from the rice grain.

Starching is the process where yarn/thread produced is wound on a spool to make a wrap. In order to make the thread stronger it is boiled with rice or flour and water. The yarn or wrap is taken out from the water and dried up in the sun.

The most important appliance used for spinning eri cocoons is the drop spindle (Thaokhri/takuri). It is a simple device made of bamboo; a cylindrical stick tapering towards one end, and a disc-like structure is embedded towards the other end.

Warping is an important step in the manufacture of clothes. Warping in local term is called si swngnai and the villagers followed the simple stick warping method.

The Bodo weavers used throw shuttle and fly shuttle looms. The shuttle makhu is thrown across the shed by the hand. The loom is fitted to a vertical post made of bamboo or wood and it is fixed to the ground.

'Indi Phitwb'- the eri cocoon are open-mouthed, as the silk filament is not wrapped as in mulberry, muga and tassar. Hence, the eri cocoons cannot be reeled but spun like cotton. The shape, size and color of the endi cocoon vary on the host plant leaves.

Khophri is a type of umbrella made of bamboo and plastic. It is worn on the head to shield it from the sun and rain while going to work, especially in the paddy fields.

This is a picture of the red vermillion casket “sindur kho” used specially by the Dimasa royal queen during marriage.

This is a picture of the water drainer “yaphaha di luyaba” used by the Dimasa royal kings during marriage for washing off their feet by the subjects.

Swrkhi is a spinning tool made of bamboo. It is used for winding threads and to hold sorted threads before setting the loom for weaving. It is used in Boro traditional weaving practices.