Mekhela Chador Weaving

Mekhela Chador is the indigenous customary Assamese dress, fundamentally the same as other conventional dresses of Southeast Asia (worn as a sarong) worn by ladies of any age with the exception of kids. 

There are two principle bits of material that are hung around the body. The base bit, hung from the midsection downwards, is known as the Mekhela, which is a type of a sarong. It comprises of a wide piece of textile that is draped into a couple of creases to fit around the midriff and tucked in. The folds are to one side and are less (maximum two), unlike the creases in the Nivi style of the sari, which is draped to one side and has various creases. It is not quite the same as a sari and is typically the customary clothing worn in many Southeast Asian countries. Strings are never used to tie the Mekhela around the midsection; however, an underskirt with a string is frequently used.

The best part of the two-piece dress is called the Chador (articulated as Sadowr), a long length of fabric that has one end tucked into the upper segment of the Mekhela and the rest draped over and around the rest of the body. Unlike the Pavadai Davani, the Chador is tucked in triangular folds.