The Humble Red And White Gamosa Has Become A Symbol Of Resistance For Assam Protesters

In Assam, the humble gamosa, a red and white cloth has come to symbolise the struggle of the Indian state's indigenous "sons of the soil" against a new citizenship law that they see as a dangerous threat to their unique culture.

The gamosa has traditionally been worn by fishermen and peasants. However now, millennials and others in the far-flung region have co-opted the gamosa, tieing it around their heads, their waists and embellishing it with anti-government slogans.

"This is like a flag for us," said Jatin Borah, 22, one of thousands taking to the streets in days of riots and running battles with police firing blanks and live ammunition that have left five people dead.

Photo: EPA

"It represents Assam, its culture and collective political and social aspirations of its people," the student told AFP.

"It's our pride. It is uniting us."

The gamosa is many things to many people ¡ª farmers and fishermen tie it around their waists or heads while going to work, Bihu dancers treat it as an adornment, the devout seek piety in its folds and guests receive it as an honour. What the ongoing agitation in the state has done is turn the gamosa into a force that binds thousands of protesters who have been stepping out every day to participate in rallies and processions led by the All Assam Students Union (AASU).

¡°The gamosa is like a flag for us. It¡¯s our pride. It's uniting us,¡± says Jatin Borah, a 22-year-old student.

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Samujjal Bhattacharya, adviser to Aasu, is rarely seen without a gamosa draped around his shoulders. As he marches at the vanguard of a long procession, two young women walking beside him carry gamosas that bear slogans in Assamese and English. ¡°Assam is not your dumping ground,¡± says one.

¡°We are united in protest, and the gamosas that you see all around represents that,¡± says Bhattacharya. Such is the power of this woven cloth that not even those on the other side of the citizenship divide dare forsake it. CM Sarbananda Sonowal and finance minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, both facing flak from protesters for what Aasu calls the ¡°great betrayal¡±, are regularly seen in public carrying gamosas.

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Social scientist Bishnu Saikia say gamosa has ¡®evolved¡¯ through the decades. ¡°It has been around for centuries. Over the years, it has become part of popular culture and evolved into a symbol of Assamese identity. It is used to honour guests and gift as a souvenir. Millennials have taken to it as something that connects them to their roots,¡± he says.

In the past few weeks, people showing solidarity with the protesters have used the gamosa to reach out. Social media has been deluged with pictures of non-resident Assamese spreading out gamosas with slogans like ¡°No CAA¡± and ¡°We are with you, Assam¡±.

TOI had reported last week how some women participating in a protest would spread out gamosas on the road so that the police wouldn¡¯t come at them. In Assam, nobody who knows what it stands for would trample on a gamosa.