Khorshed Alam, Sherpur

The traditional various colour hand made clothes by the small tribal (tribal) communities in Sherpur are almost extinct today.

It is said that the main reasons for the disappearance of the tribal hand-made bahari color clothes are due to the increase in the price of yarn, lack of experienced craftsmen and economic poverty. These clothes are not seen as before. It is known that Sherpur district is located on the border of Meghalaya state of India at the foot of Garo Hills.

The three upazilas on the border of this district cover about 40 kilometers of hilly areas inhabited by people of small ethnic groups. According to tribal organization Tribal Welfare Association, Nalitabari, Jhenaigati and Srivardi upazilas are home to about 40,000 tribal communities of various ethnic groups including Garo, Hajong, Koch, Banai, Burman.

Rangtia tribal leader Jugal Kishore Koch Dhimanchandra Koch of Bankakura village said that once they had land, full of cows and crops. But with the passage of time, the people of the tribal community have lost everything and now they have become landless.

They said that in the past, the tribal community used to make and use traditional clothes of bahari colors made by their own hands. Almost all the tribal women were usually seen wearing their hand made bahari colored clothes. The Koch community's hand-made bahari colors include Lefen, Bashek, Urna. Handcrafted garments of the Garo community include Dakmanda, Dakshari, Urna. However, the people of Hajong and Banai communities used to wear the clothes of the Koch community made by themselves. But now tribal women don't wear colorful clothes like before.

However, the research has revealed that due to the economic poverty of the tribals, the lack of experienced craftsmen and the increase in the price of yarn, the handmade clothes of the tribal community are almost disappearing day by day.

Chairperson of Upazila Hindu Buddhist Christian Oikya Parishad Mr. Rabeta Mrong said that due to the economic crisis of the tribals, the increase in the price of yarn, the lack of skilled craftsmen in making clothes, along with the lack of tools, the people of the tribal community are not able to make clothes by themselves like before.

Nabesh Khakshi, Chairman of Jhenaigati Upazila Tibal Welfare Association said that in the past everyone was used to making clothes. After they died, the traditional hand-made bahari-colored clothes of the tribal community are almost disappearing due to the fact that the new generation of people could not make these bahari-colored dresses. Srivardi Upazila Tribal Welfare Association Chairman Pranjal M Sangma said, despite all the difficulties, 10% of the tribal community still hold on.

These colorful clothes are still seen in the weddings of the tribal community. Jagendra Koch, a tribal leader of Rangtia village, said that if the government provides economic support, the tribal community will again be interested in making colorful clothes by themselves.