Shillong, Jan 19: Meghalaya’s rich bamboo craftsmanship has found national recognition at the highest level, with a traditional bamboo artefact from the state being prominently featured in the specially curated ‘At-Home’ invitation kit for India’s 77th Republic Day celebrations.
The invitation kit, designed for guests attending the Republic Day ‘At-Home’ reception at Rashtrapati Bhavan on January 26, celebrates the living heritage of Northeast India.
Conceptualised by the National Institute of Design (NID), Ahmedabad, the kit brings together indigenous art and craft traditions from all eight Northeastern states—often referred to as the Ashtalakshmi states.
Meghalaya’s presence in the collection is marked by a green bamboo coaster inspired by the traditional ‘knup’ rain shield, a cultural symbol deeply associated with the state’s indigenous communities. The knup-inspired design reflects Meghalaya’s long-standing relationship with bamboo as a sustainable material used in everyday life, architecture, and cultural practices.
According to officials, the invitation kit aims to offer guests an immersive experience of the Northeast’s craft traditions, developed through close collaboration between regional artisans and design teams.
A key feature of the kit is a wall-hanging scroll crafted in an octagonal bamboo weave pattern, which unfolds to showcase handcrafted elements representing each Northeastern state.
Interlaced with tricolour threads, the scroll’s structure draws inspiration from the traditional loin loom—commonly used by women across the region—symbolising continuity, portability, and living traditions. The box itself is wrapped in handloom fabric, accented with a handwoven belt, and contains bamboo artwork, handmade paper, and a traditional woven bamboo mat from Tripura.
Alongside Meghalaya’s bamboo craft, the scroll highlights a range of indigenous art forms, including Assam’s manuscript painting style and bamboo gogona jaw harp, Sikkim’s thara weaving using stinging nettle yarn, Manipur’s Longpi black pottery, and the puan chei shawl of Mizoram.
Arunachal Pradesh is represented through a Mithun motif crafted from handmade paper, while Nagaland’s Khiamniungan Naga textile woven from wild orange rhea and Himalayan stinging nettle also features prominently.
Guests at the ‘At-Home’ reception will also be presented with a specially designed eri silk stole, handwoven with motifs inspired by the landscapes, flora, fauna, and everyday life of Northeast India. Often referred to as “peace silk” or “Ahimsa silk”, eri silk is a key part of the region’s textile heritage and rural economy, produced without harming silkworms.
