Muga Silk - This golden yellow color silk is prerogative of India and is not only a unique silk product from Assam, but also a symbol of rich Assamese culture and part of traditional attire of the region. Muga silk is one of the many nature's gift to Assam. The speciality of this silk is it's golden bright colour. "Muga" is derived from the Assamese word 'muga' meaning yellowish.
It is superior in every respect from the normal white silk available all over the world. This silk is much more durable than the normal one. And interestingly it's brightness improves with evry wash while the normal silk has to be very carefully washed.
Apart from normal dressings, it is used in other furnishing and decoration stuff too. Muga clothes are so durable that it can be used for decades. Muga Silk is supposed to be one of the costliest fabrics in the whole world. Muga is produced from cocoons of 'Antheraea Assamensis' which is available only in Assam. Muga worm ('Muga Polu' in Assamese) also has the same lifecycle as silkworm, ie. egg, caterpillar, pupa and moth.
Antheraea Assamensis Moth's eggs (popularly known as seeds) are laid out on the Som and Soalu leaves to hatch out into caterpillars about 2mm long. They grow rapidly, eat voraciously and end up about 30 mm long after four to five weeks. During this time, they change skins four times. After the final skin change straw frames are provided in which silkworms make its cocoon. Cocoon making takes further eight days. Man interferes this life cycle at the cocoon stage to obtain the silk, a continuous filament of commercial importance, used in weaving silk, the dream fabric.
These silk worms yield a beautiful golden thread that is much sought after for its colour and sheen. It takes the silkworm another three to four days to transform into a pupa and another 15 days for the moth to emerge, but this is not allowed to take place for all.
