Traditional Natural Colour of Assam

Abstract

People in the past always created somethingnew tofulfil their need. The great Vaishnava saintof Assam, Sri Sankardevabelonged in 14th (fourteen) century believed that “Beauty is God”. Being a realartist he created some beautiful items BrindabaniBastra – A famous handloom textiles of the world inwhich life of Lord Krishna was depicted with prominent figure painted with artistic naturalcolourproduced from plant source, mainly from bark, leaves, fruit, flower, roots etc. which was remain sametill this century. At that period he created a special natural colour known as “Mohi” to write on Sanchipatand Hengulhaital colour for colouring of wooden instruments, walls, mukhasilpa, and boat. As it isconsidered as a the duty of young talents of our state to protect the uniqueness, greatness ofSrimantaSankardeva’s creation , an attempt was made to find out the traditional mechanism of naturaldye specially in his period. The study showed that the basic colour of that period were mohi(bluish greenink) yellow arsenic(haital),vermillion (hengul), in eco- friendly methods.