President’s Republic Day ‘At Home’ Invite Showcases Northeast’s Ashtalakshmi Crafts

Overview

• Guests will be greeted with the traditional draping of a specially designed Eri silk stole, a fabric integral to the Northeast’s textile heritage.
• The hand-crafted invitation box uses a Tripura-style woven bamboo mat with Assamese manuscript-inspired motifs, and it carries a handmade address tag paired with a smoked-bamboo ornament from Meghalaya.
• The package includes a wall-hanging scroll built with an octagonal bamboo weave that unfolds to reveal a curated display representing each state.
• Motifs on the stole depict regional flora and fauna, including Nagaland’s mithun and rhododendron, Manipur’s Shirui lily and Sangai deer, Tripura’s nagkesar and Indian butter catfish, and Mizoram’s red vanda orchid and Himalayan serow.
• Led by Prof Andrea Noronha, the National Institute of Design coordinated a team of over 350, including artisans, and overcame access challenges to remote craft clusters through longstanding regional networks.