Munni Begum / Guwahati

Alamara Barbhuiya of Nagaon is a remarkable example of how simple love of clothes can eventually become a source of livelihood. In 2008, she started a small mekhela-chadar (women’s traditional wear) entrepreneurship by purchasing materials worth just ₹5,000. Today, her business has grown to the point where she earns approximately ₹1 lakh a month and  employs eight women.

Through her brand, ‘AB Assamese Ethnic’, she is also introducing traditional Assamese attire to people across India and abroad.

A mother of two daughters, Alamara had no specific plan when she began her business. Her love of buying clothes and her interest in mekhela-chadars drew her into the trade. What began with buying clothes for herself gradually became a business as she shared this interest with friends. As the clothes she produced gained popularity among them, she began considering ways to expand.

Speaking to Awaz-The Voice, Alamara Barbhuiya said: “Initially, I built a small customer base comprising friends and relatives, and reinvested the money I received from them in my business. My first purchase was materials worth around ₹5,000. However, since I had no experience of the market or product prices, I ended up paying more than I should have for many items in the beginning. Over time, I gained business experience and learned about product quality and the market.”

Later on, Alamara became interested in online sales and began selling her products through Meesho, Flipkart and Amazon. She earned about ₹21 lakh through Meesho. However, following some unpleasant experiences, she stopped doing business through Meesho and Flipkart and now sells online only through Amazon.

A model wearing Alamara's creations

Combining her name’s initials, ‘AB’, with a reference to traditional Assamese attire, Alamara created the brand ‘AB Assamese Ethnic’. As the brand gained popularity on Amazon, she began receiving enquiries about international shipments.

“When I saw my name, photograph and clothing listings on online platforms in the UAE and the UK, I was astonished,” she said. “I subsequently discovered that my products were also listed on online marketplaces in other countries. I then applied for a trademark to protect my brand and completed GST registration and other necessary formalities. At present, I also have an import-export licence.”

Alongside her overseas customers, Alamara now has buyers in several Indian states, including Maharashtra -- particularly Mumbai -- West Bengal, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand and Odisha. Interest in Assamese mekhela-chadars among people from different religious and cultural backgrounds has helped expand her business. Hindu customers also buy Assamese attire from her to wear during festivals and other celebrations. One customer even composed a poem dedicated to her and presented it as a gift.

Although Alamara does not weave the fabrics herself, she pays particular attention to designs, colours and themes, and to presenting traditional Assamese motifs in new ways. She owns seven looms. Her range includes silk, muga, tussar (toss) silk, mulberry silk, mercerised fabric and cotton. Tussar outfits cost between ₹5,000 and ₹12,000, while silk outfits range from ₹7,000 and ₹30,000. Mercerised outfits are priced between ₹2,000 and ₹2,500, and cotton outfits between ₹1,500 and ₹2,500.

Mehkla Chador outlet of Alamara

Elaborating on her designs, Alamara said that gach-buta and kingkhap motifs are particularly popular among her customers. The jonbiri motif, however, is among her most talked-about designs. She created a special design in gold and silver colours by combining jonbiri motifs with stripes. It attracted a large number of advance orders. One customer even had a lehenga made from the fabric for her daughter’s wedding.

Alamara is unwilling to compromise on product quality.

“To ensure that customers receive genuine tussar fabric, I supply only products backed by laboratory test certificates,” she said. “I also offer customers a 100 per cent refund guarantee if any product is proved to be fake. I buy high-quality goods online from Guwahati and Sualkuchi. At present, I earn approximately ₹1 lakh a month from this business.”

Around eight women are currently involved in Alamara’s business. They work in areas including packing Amazon orders, garment work, tailoring, running the shop, management and modelling. One employee has been working with her for nearly seven years. Most orders come online, and the team also produces customised clothing to meet customers’ requirements.

The route to success has not been easy though. As a woman running her own business, Alamara has frequently faced harsh remarks from people around her. ‘Your husband earns enough money; why do you have to work?’ many would ask. On social media, she has also faced contentious comments for being a Muslim woman selling Assamese attire.

Responding to such remarks, Alamara said: “I was born in Assam and studied in Assamese-medium schools. My way of life, food and culture are Assamese. Does following Islam mean I cannot be Assamese? I am proud of my identity.”

Her husband’s support has been a major source of strength throughout the journey. A businessman himself, he has encouraged her through every difficult period. Whenever negative social media comments or other people’s remarks upset her, he tells her: “Do not pay attention to what others say. I am here for you; keep doing your work.”

Besides her mekhela-chadar business, Alamara is interested in cooking and handicrafts. She also has experience making and selling pizzas, different kinds of bread, cakes and new dishes. Her specialities included chocolate-vanilla cake, chicken bread, vegetable bread and stuffed bread. On one occasion, pizzas she had made sold out within just two hours of being placed in a shop.

Despite having no formal training in sewing, she learned cutting and stitching by watching YouTube videos. She has also created various decorative designs on bedsheets despite not knowing embroidery.

Reflecting on her experience, she said: “People with practical craft skills can never be poor. Women should focus on identifying their talents and turning them into a source of income. In today’s digital age, a mobile phone and social media are enough to take one’s work and talent to a wide audience.”

Alamara plans to organise a fashion show featuring her own designs. Her immediate goal is to make her brand better known across India, while also pursuing her dream of taking traditional Assamese attire to a wider market. Despite her achievements, she still considers herself a “beginner”.

“I am still not satisfied with my work, because there is so much more I have yet to do,” she said.

READ MORE: From gyms in mosque to livelihood initiatives driven by Muslims

A business that began with just ₹5,000 now generates a monthly income of ₹1 lakh and provides employment to eight women. Through her talent, hard work and self-confidence, Alamara Barbhuiya has carved out a distinctive place in the traditional Assamese clothing business while setting a positive example for other women.