PRO. 47 (N) ~Ordy.) I-'"' 925 CENSUS OF INDIA 1961 VOLUME III ASSAM PART VII-A SELECTED HANDICRAFTS OF ASSAM E. H. PAKYNTEIN of the Indian Administrative Service Superintendent of Census Operations, Assam Printed in India by tbe Manager, Laksbmi Printing Press, Gaubati and Published by the Manager of Publications, Civil Lines, Delbi-6 1966 Price :- Rs. 11.00 Or 25 sh. 8 d. or $ 3.96 CENSUS OF INDIA 1961 LIST OF PUBLICATIONS, ASSAM CENTRAL GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS ( An the Publications of the State will bear the Vol. No. III ) Part I-A General Report Part I-B Report on Vital Statistics Part T-C Subsidiary Tables Part II-A General Population Tables Part II-B General Economic Tables Part JI-C Cultural & Migration Tables Part TIl Household Economic Tables Part IV Report on Housing and Establishments Part V-A Scheduled Caste/Tribe Tables and Reprints Part V-B Tribes and Castes of Assam Part VI Village Survey Monographs Part VII-A Survey of Handicrafts Part VII-B Fairs & Festivals Part VIII-A Administration Report ( Enumeration) ? Not for sale Part VIII-B Administration Report ~ ( Tabulation) Part IX Maps STATE GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS 11 District Census Handbooks Depending on the size, there may be sub-parts to some of the parts. In addition. Village Survey Monographs will be published separately for each village . ...................... CONTENTS P~ges Foreword I-V Preface vii-ix CHAPTER I HANDLOOM WEAVING Introduction : History and Origin-Occupational Trends-Nature of Establishments-Workshop... 1-3 Technique of Production: Raw materials-Cotton-Dyeing or Colouring-Different types of looms and com­ ponents-Manufacturing processes-Designs-Sources of designs-Finished products ... 4-11 Economics of the Industry : Cost of Production-Earnings of commercial weavers-Employment, production and sales-Finance-Marketing and its problems-Government assistance-Training facilities and financial help-Schemes under the Third Five Year Plan 11-14 Conclusion 14 Appendices : A-A brief report on the Handloom weaving of Mynso village in the United Khasi & Jaintia Hills district... 15-16 B-Number of registered Co-operative Societies and number of artisans working under them . 17 C- Number of handloom weavers in different districts (excluding weavers under the co-operative fold) .... 18 D-Number of Khadi spinners and weavers in the State 18 E- Cost of Handloom fabrics.in different districts of Assam ... 19 F- Trend of prices of handloom products ... 20 G-Trend of prices of raw materials in Assam 21 H-List of Government sponsored Handloom Weaving Training centres 22 Bibliography ... 22 Pages CHAPTER II : SERICULTURE Introduction : History and origin-Nature of establishments-Tools and implements-Improve­ ments on spinning devices-Kinds of sllk worms-Rearing of silk worms according to areas ... 23-28 Technique of Production: Rearing of endi worms-Rearing of muga worms-Rearing of pat worms-Method of spinning: Endi spinning, Muga spinning, Pat spinning-Weaving of silk cloths- Finished products .. , 28-33 Economics of the Illdustry : Cos! of prod'uction-Marketing-Assistance-Production-Prospects of the industry 33-35 Conclusion 35-36 Appendices : A-Facts about Assam Silk 36-38 B-Trend of prices of raw materials in Assam 38 C-List of Government Sericulture Farms in Assam 39 D-List of Basic Muga Seed Farms in Assam ... 39 E-List of Government Eri Seed Grainage in Assam 39 F-List of Cocoon Marketing Societies in Assam 40 Bibliography 40 CHAPTER III : SILK WEAVING AT SUALKUCHI Introduction : History -and origin-Area, Households, Population and their economic activity- Nature of Establishment '\ .. , 41-43 Technique of Production : Raw materials-Preparatory proc.esses -Designs-Finished products and their uses- Workshop, tools and implements ... ... 43-45 Economics of the Industry : Social and Economic aspects of the industry-Cost 0' Production-Production and Emp10yment-Marketing-Government assistance-Earnings of a worker-Present condition of the co-operative societies dealing with silk-Difficulties in procuring raw materials ... 45-47 Conclusion ." 47 Appendix: List of Co-operative Societies ... 48-49 CHAPTER IV POTTERY' Pages Introduction : History and origin-Nature of establishment 51-54 Technique of Production: Raw materials-Preparation of clay-Preparation of colour-Method of production of earthenwares-Bricks, tiles and glazed pottery wares-Dolls, toys and image making-Tools and equipments-Finished products and their uses-Earthenwares used for domestic purposes-Earthenwares used for ceremonial purposes 55-63 Economics of the Industry Co~t of production-Earnings of worker-Marketing facilities-Production and sale under organised sector-Assistance available under different schemes ... ... 63-65 Conclusion : The Pottery Industry of Lamai Village in the United Khasi & Jaintia Hills ... 66-69 Appendices : A-Number of potters in different districts of Assam as per 1961 Census 69 B- Pottery Co-operatives of Assam 70 C-Products and their marketing in different districts of Assam 71 D-Trend of prices of Pottery products 1939-1961 72 Terminology 73 Bibliography 73 CHAPTER V !JLACKSMITHY Introduction : Nature of Establishment .. , ... 75-76 Technique of Production : Raw materials-Tools and implements-Processes of manufacture-Finished products 76-79 Economics of the Industry : Economics of production-Marketing-Development and assistance programmes- Cooperative Society... ... ... ... ... ... ... 80-83 Conclusion ... 83 Pages Appendices : A-Prices in 1961 of a few indigenous iron products of the Karanga Kamar Silpi Sama bay Samity .. ... .. 83 B- Trend of prices of Blacksmithy Products 1939-1961 84 C- Trend of prices of raw materials in Assam 1939-1961 84 Terminology 85 Bibliography 85 CHAPTER VI : WOODWORKS AND CARPENTRY Introduction : History and origin-Present set-up of the industry-Workshed .. , 87-89 Technique of Production : Raw materials-Timber yield and its uses-Nature of Establishment-Tools and imple­ ments-Selection of tools-Essential implements and their description-Process of manufacture . .. 89-98 Economics of the Industry : Economics of production-Problems in Stock Piling and Products-Govern- ment assistance-Scope for development 98-99 Conclusion 100 Appendices : A-Woodworks Co-operatives of Assam 101 B- Trend of prices of cabinet and furniture products 1939-1961 102 C- Trend of prices of raw materials in Assam 1939-1961 103 D-Botanical names of timber and their uses 104 Terminology 105 • Bibliography 105 CHAPTER VII CANE AND BAMBOO WORKS Pages Introduction : History and origin-Distribution according to Castes or Community ... ~107-108 Technique of Production : Raw materials-Tools and implements-Workshed-Products and process of manu­ facture-Common bamboo products-Fishing implements-Bamboo mats-Umbrella handle-'Japi or Chhata'-Cane furniture-Cane baskets-Sital pati (cool mat) .. , 108-117 Economics of the Industry : Cost of production-Profit-Demand and Sale-Marketing-Trend of prices of pro- ducts-Assistance programme-Scope for development... ... ... ... 118-122 Appendices : A-Number of cane and bamboo workers engaged In household and non- household industry 122 B-Cane and Bamboo Co-operatives of Assam 122 C-Trend of prices of raw materials 1939-1961 123 D-Trend of prices of cane and bamboo products 1939-1961 ... 124 Glossary 125 Bibliography 125 APPENDICES 1- Trad~-wise (Crafts) analysis and Number of Training Institutes, Intake capacIty, etc.... .., . ... ... ... '" 126-133 II- Consolidated Statement of the Crafts of Assam 134-139 IJ(i)- Police Station-wise List of Crafts and Number of Persons employed in Production ... ... ... ... ... .. 140-148 II(ii)-Town-wise List of Crafts and Number of Persons employed in Production 150-155 Superintendents, that the Census provided tionnaire, village by village and area by area, a unique opportunity for conducting and might either be obtained through the regular documenting a survey of this kind. As such departmental channels of the State Govern­ a survey was quite outside the usual terms of ment, or ~hrough the newly set up Census reference of Census work it was thought organisation, or through the hierarchy of prudent cautiously to feel one's way with the newly-created Panchayets. Stress was the thin end of the. wedge of what would, it laid on the need of photographic documen­ was hoped, prove to be an exciting pursuit. tation and illustration of designs, shapes It was therefore considered the wiser course and forms not only by photographs but to wait until the State Census Offices felt so with the help of line drawings or sketches interested that the~ would no longer take together with a full description of the materials the inquiry as an imposition but rather want used. to do it on their own and ask for the necessary staff and equipment. This office too, in its Almost the whole of 1960 and the first turn , could make use of the interval to orga- half of 1961 were spent in organising and nise and elaborate the design of inquiry in taking the census count, although several order to feed the appetite that work in pro­ States even during this period had not allowed gress would serve to whet. Because it was the grass to grow under their feet but made a labour of love, sought to be ullobtrusively exploratory studies and decided in their minds thrust on one's colleagues and because the how the inquiry should be organised. A inquiry itself was so vast that normally it series of regional conferences held in Tri­ would demand in any country as big a set-up, van drum, DaIjeeling and Srinagar in May if separately established, as the Census orga~ and June 1961 revealed much enthusiasm nisation itself and that over a much longer among State Superintendents to proceed with period, and because it was almost a pioneer the survey, but the need of separate staff and venture, nothing like it having been under­ equipment was felt at the same time as the taken since the 1880's, it was decided to move realization dawned that this was much too towards a build-up by stages, to let the serious an inquiry to be treated casually inquiry ~nfold itself only as fast as my and left to be achieved through the usual colleagues chose to ask for more.