The weaver of sacred texts: Hemoprova Chutia's masterful artistry

Mahatma Gandhi once observed that “Assamese women weave dreams on their looms.” That thought finds a powerful, living reflection in the life and work of Hemoprova Chutia, a master weaver from Moran in Dibrugarh district.

After decades of using her handloom to weave traditional fabrics, Hemoprova took a remarkable turn in 2013 by turning sacred texts into woven art. She started by painstakingly translating Sanskrit shlokas from the Bhagavad Gita onto cloth, and then she recreated the text in English as well.

Every letter emerges through the careful manual adjustment of threads. There is no printing, no automation, and no mechanical aid. Years of discipline have trained her eyes, hands, and imagination to work in perfect harmony. For Hemoprova, the loom itself is enough.

In recognition of her extraordinary contribution, she was awarded the Padma Shri in 2023. Yet, she insists that accolades were never her pursuit; her devotion has always been to the loom and the art of weaving.

Her most ambitious work is now underway. Hemoprova has begun weaving Naam Ghosa, the 16th-century Assamese devotional composition, into both English and Hindi.

Hemoprova Chutia, Weaver, Padma Shri Awardee, says, "Now I have started working on creating 'Naam Ghosa' in English and Hindi. This will probably be 600-700 ft long and will take 6-7 years to complete. I did not start with the purpose of getting recognised for my work. I did not think so, and I just weaved the letters on a piece of cloth. Then I received awards like Padma Shri and the Assam Gaurav award. It feels nice."

Remarkably, Hemoprova does not understand English, Hindi, or Sanskrit. Yet the texts she weaves remain faithful to the originals. She recreates each alphabet purely through observation, treating letters as visual patterns rather than linguistic symbols.

She further added that, "I weaved the letters by just observing them. This is the art of observing books; it is a concept. I have urged the state government to restore this art. I have also written to PM Modi ji requesting him to build a museum to restore these creations"

For Hemoprova Chutia, the handloom occupies a sacred space in her home, revered like a place of worship. She spends most of her waking hours there, patiently weaving devotion into fabric.

Her deepest wish is that future generations continue this tradition, using the loom to weave dreams, preserve heritage, and keep alive the legacy so eloquently captured by Mahatma Gandhi.