A Sanskrit word meaning untamed, wild, or forest based, used in the world of textiles in reference to wild silk.
* Vanya silks, because they save the life of the worm and allow the moth to come out of the cocoon , all come under the Ahimsa – peace silk – banner.
* Muga, tussar and eri are vanya silks; the silk is produced from woodland, broadleaved trees, as opposed to sericulture, the extensive farming, of the silk worms that live on mulberry leaves.
* Eri silk worms ( Philosamia synthia ricini ) feed on castor plants ; eri is the only ‘wild’ silk that is being actively farmed, albeit in a relatively very small industry.
* Muga silk comes from silk worms (Antherae assamansis) that feed on the leaves of Som (Machilus bombycina) and Sualu ( Litsaea polyantha).
* Tussar silk is perhaps the best known of these, and comes from silk worms that feed on wild oak leaves–Antheraea proyeki J and Antharea pernyi,. Antheraea paphia and A. mylitta also produce tussar from Arjun, Suka and As an leaves.