Ngotekherh of Mizoram

Ngotekherh is an ancient customary puan worn by the Mizo community. Originally, this shawl had a plain white base with two narrow black stripes running along its edges. The white and black stripes along the perimeter of the cloth are known as ‘kherh’. The weavers indulge in delicate hand-sewing of the cloth on a loin loom. The Ngotekherh has gone through several changes and improvements to keep pace with the fashion trends of the modern Mizo lifestyle. The weavers have to maintain proper precision and detailed measurements to ensure a uniform design on the puan. Usually made with a combination of black and white yarns, the recent designs have experimented with a combination of red and white. These stripes run vertically along the length of the puan, often appearing as if dividing the shawl into parts. Such subtle innovations have caught the attention of the market outside the community, and have given the weavers a huge platform for the recognition of their craft.