Women weavers find a solar way to Eri silk in Meghalaya

Eri silk weavers from Ri Bhoi district in Meghalaya, Ianopat Lamare, Riehtngen Lamare, and Batrity Myrsing speak about how they traditionally spun Eri silk using the takli (traditional hand spindle). 

They explain how the introduction of the the Meghalaya Sericulture and Weaving Scheme in 2024, which provides subsidies for solar-powered machines to cocoon buyers, many weavers have shifted from hand spinning to solar-powered reeling. Dollyneda Tron from the MOSONiE Foundation shares how the organisation supports silkworm rearers to sustain and continue the practice of sericulture. 

While most weavers also depend on farming, changing weather patterns have made agriculture increasingly unreliable, making weaving a crucial alternative source of livelihood. 

Watch this video to learn about the process of Eri silk weaving and how it has become a stable source of income for the community. 

Samme Massar is an IDR Northeast Media Fellow, 2025–26.

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Know more: Understand how beekeeping creates livelihoods in rural Meghalaya.