If you are travelling across Northeastern India, make sure that you have plenty of sweet memory in your camera to carry back with you. Apart from the memories of your happy and adventurous times that you might have there, you are sure to be mesmerized by the local art and craftwork. By some special items as a souvenir from northeast India.
These art works are done by tribals here and therefore quite pure and made out of pure passion for these crafts. Not just the handicraft items, you might also think of taking back home many other such little items to keep you reminiscing about the happy times in your Northeast India tour.
What to shop in Northeast India
Assam Silk Cloths
Assam silk (Pat and Muga and Eri silk) are the silk that is used for making the famous Mekhla chador and different garments in Assam, the outfit that every Assamese woman wears. The wrap-around skirt, blouse and a chador or shawl that is draped across a shoulder as a saree is superb buy from Assam, which is one of the exquisite Shopping items in Northeast India.
Naga shawl
These are traditional distinctive patterned shawls (primarily in red and black wool) made by various Naga tribes from Nagaland in India. Each tribe has its own patterns with simple, clean lines, stripes, squares and bands being the most traditional design motifs. These are waved at home by the females using wool. One of the common features of the Naga shawl(Nagaland Shawls) is that three pieces are woven separately and stitched together.
Naga Jewelry
Just like every other tribe across the world, even the Naga tribes are known to make their own beaded jewellery sometimes with nails and horns as embellishments too. These pieces of jewellery are worn by tribal men and women. Even today during their famous Hornbill Festival event, the men and women dress in animal fur, and beaded belts, crowns and even big junk beads and rhinestone jewellery.
Wooden animal sculpture
Northeast India is culturally a very rich state and artistically too, the state is perhaps very much underrated for its handicrafts. Wood carving is an art that can be seen in their craft and sculpting work. They make sculpture in wood of differ animals like rhino, deer, elephant etc and different birds different like storks, hornbill etc which can be purchased from local markets to take back home. These are best Northeast souvenirs to gift your loved ones. You can buy different wooden handicraft in different states Meghalaya, Assam, Nagaland or Manipur.
Masks from Majuli Island
Majuli is a riverine island and their big art form is the mask. At mask making satra of Majuli( Samaguri Satra) bhakats(monks) make these masks of characters from Ramayana and Mahabharata using just bamboo and clay and even clothes. It is ideal to have it for your wall décor back home.
Colorful Garments from Arunachal Pradesh
If you are a woman who loves to dress up in some of the authentic costumes from all the places that you visit then you must invest in the brightly colored Arunachali garments. The outfits vary for married and unmarried women. While there are varieties of these outfits, the basic style is more or less same. The dress is a sleeveless tunic with a jacket, which is attached to the dress with a belt on the waist. Plenty of matching silver and beaded jewellery complements the look of Arunachali women. Men also have plain shirts or vests and lungis or kilt styled dresses. Different tribes have a different style and different colour garments in Arunachal Pradesh. These clothing items are must buy on your shopping list and serve as a precious souvenir from Northeast India.
Best quality of wool from Sikkim
Woolen carpets and shawls from Sikkim are surely on your wish-list if you are planning to take home something. The wool is quite soft and definitely warm beyond words.
Bamboo artefacts and souvenir
Since the entire NorthEast India has thriving bamboo forests and cultivation going on in large number, the bamboo baskets and the bamboo furniture and other decorative lamps, vase and decorative items and artefacts are all sold in every state in North East of India in plenty.
Bell Metal Craft from Sarthebari, Assam
The bell metal utensil is a native of Sarthebari in Assam and fetches a good price in the market too. Sarthebari in Assam is known for its bell metal production and many items like plates, pots, urns and basins are made from this alloy metal or bell metal. It is a tradition to keep bell material serving plates and bowls in every household of Assam.
Nungbi Pottery of Manipur
Unlike conventional pottery using potter’s wheel, this one is made by manually mixing surpentinite stone and brown clay of Nungbi village. The clay is then used for making pots and cups, which are polished and sun-dried. The texture is beautiful and buying it from your Manipur trip is necessary too. You can read more about Nungbi pottery at ManipurTimes. These are some rare items and best Northeast souvenirs which is available only in Manipur.
Now that you have seen everything, which can be purchased as souvenirs or memorabilia, what are you going to buy for yourself this time?
