A natural colorant was extracted from Cassia tara L. using buffer solutions (pH: 2-11) as extractants. The dyeing solution (Cassia tara L. extract) extracted using pH 9 buffer solution was found to give the highest K/S values of dyed fabrics. Cotton and silk fabrics were dyed with Cassia tara L. extract at $60^{circ}C$ for 60 min with pre-treatment of various metal salts as mordants. It was found that Cassia tara L. extract was polygenetic dyestuffs and its major components were anthraquinones. Studies have been made on the effects of the kind of mordant on dyeing properties and colour fastnesses of cotton and silk fabrics. The K/S of cotton fabrics increased in the order of the dyeing using $FeSO_4 >CuSO_4> ZnSO_4> MnSO_4cong Al_2(SO_4)_3 > NiSo_4 > none$, however, the K/S of silk fabrics increased in the order of the dyeing using $FeSO_4 > CuSO_4 > ZnSO_4cong Al_2(SO_4)_3 > MnSO_4cong NiSO_4 > none$. It was found that the K/S values of dyed fabrics were largely affected by the colour difference $(DeltaE)$ between mordanted fabric and control fabric. However, they were not depended on the content of mordanted metal ion of the fabrics. Mordants $FeSO_4$ and CuSO_4$ for cotton fabric, $FeSO_4,; CuSO_4,; and; Al_2(S0_4)_3$ for silk fabric were found to give good light fastness (rating 4).