This Assam youth is earning respect for his unique weavings skills. Here's his story

TAMULPUR: Bijoy Das, a 20-year-old youth from Borkhupa village in Assam's Tamulpur district, has gone viral on social media after weaving unique 'gamusas' featuring the most iconic landmarks and people from Assam on the hand operated looms known as taatxaal.

The youth, who comes from humble origins, is reportedly paying for his education using money made from selling his wares. Das, a fourth-semester student studying at the Rongia College, is also a talented artist, singer, and adept at dancing Bihu.

Asked why he weaves the ‘gamusas’ the way he does, he said: “I love my culture and I want to preserve it in my lifetime. There are many iconic figures who have been inspirational to me. Moreover, I love Assam—I love the Assamese language. I even love to write, from time to time I write essays and articles in Assamese.”

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Das has informed scribes that he learnt how to weave by watching his mother ever since he was a child.

In one ‘gamusa’, he has woven images of Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi, singers Deepali Borthakur, Angaraag Mahanta, Bhupen Hazarika, Zubeen Garg, writers Homen Borgohain and Mamoni Roisom Goswami, and cultural doyens Jyoti Prasad Agarwala and Bishnu Rabha. In the same 'gamusa', he has also etched the famous Kamakhya temple.

Below these figures, he has also made a map of Assam state.

“I am glad that he is able to do this after learning from me. Even though I can make flowers on the ‘gamusas’, I cannot make faces on the cloth the way he does.

In another 'gamusa', he has etched the words the words of the Assamese anthem 'O Mur Apunar Desh.'