Clothing in India
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Clothing in India varies with the different ethnicities, geography, climate, and cultural traditions of the people of each region of India. Historically, clothing has evolved from simple garments like
History
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Statue of "Priest King" wearing a robe,Indus Valley civilisation.
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The Didarganj Yakshi depicting the dhoti wrap, c. 300 BC.
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The Buddha wearing kāṣāya robes, c. 200 BC.
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Relief depicting men inantriya and uttariya, first century AD.
India's recorded history of clothing goes back to the fifth millennium BC in the
According to the Greek historian Arrian:[11]
"The Indians use linen clothing, as says Nearchus, made from the flax taken from the trees, about which I have already spoken. And this flax is either whiter in colour than any other flax, or the people being black make the flax appear whiter. They have a linen frock reaching down halfway between the knee and the ankle, and a garment which is partly thrown round the shoulders and partly rolled round the head. The Indians who are very well-off wear earrings of ivory; for they do not all wear them. Nearchus says that the Indians dye their beards various colours; some that they may appear white as the whitest, others dark blue; others have them red, others purple, and others green. Those who are of any rank have umbrellas held over them in the summer. They wear shoes of white leather, elaborately worked, and the soles of their shoes are many-coloured and raised high, in order that they may appear taller."
Evidence from the first century AD shows the Buddhas were portrayed as wearing saṃghāti that forms a part of the
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Terracotta head, wearing possibly an early form of pagri from the Gupta period.
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Dancing girl in choli; Gupta Empire.
New trade routes, both overland and overseas, created a cultural exchange with Central Asia and Europe. Romans bought indigo for dyeing and cotton cloth as articles of clothing. Trade with China via the Silk Road introduced silk textiles using domesticated silkworms. Chanakya's treatise on public administration, the Arthashastra written around the third century BC, briefly describes the norms followed in silk weaving.[13]
A variety of weaving techniques were employed in ancient India, many of which survive to the present day. Silk and cotton were woven into various designs and motifs, each region developing its distinct style and technique. Famous among these weaving styles were the
Dyeing of clothes in ancient India was practised as an art form. Five primary colours (Suddha-varnas) were identified and complex colours (Misra – varnas) were categorised by their many hues. Sensitivity was shown to the most subtlest of shades; the ancient treatise,
Integral to the history of Indian clothing is the
Indian textiles were traded from ancient times with China, Southeast Asia, and the
Opposition to British rule in India, in particular the 1905 partition of Bengal, sparked the nationwide Swadeshi movement. One of the integral aims of the movement was to attain self-sufficiency, and to promote Indian goods while boycotting British goods in the market.[23] This was idealised in the production of Khadi. Khadi and its products were encouraged by the nationalist leaders over British goods, while also being seen as a means to empower the rural artisans.[24]
Female clothing
In India, women's clothing varies widely and is closely associated with the
.Traditional Indian clothing for women across the country in Indian includes
.The traditional style of clothing in India varies with male or female distinctions. This is still followed in rural areas, though is changing in the urban areas.
Traditional clothing
Sari and wrapped garments
A saree or sari
Saris are usually known by different names in different places. In
provides a documented resource of over 80 different regional drapes of India.- Mundum Neriyathum
Mundum Neriyathum is the oldest remnant of the ancient form of the
- Mekhela Sador
Mekhela Sador (Assamese: মেখেলা চাদৰ) is the traditional Assamese dress worn by women. It is worn by women of all ages.
There are three main pieces of cloth that are draped around the body.
The bottom portion, draped from the waist downwards is called the Mekhela (Assamese: মেখেলা). It is in the form of a sarong—a very wide cylinder of cloth—that is folded into pleats to fit around the waist and tucked in. The folds are to the right, as opposed to the pleats in the Nivi style of the saree, which are folded to the left. Strings are never used to tie the
The top portion of the three-piece dress, called the Sador (Assamese: চাদৰ), is a long length of cloth that has one end tucked into the upper portion of the Mekhela and the rest draped over and around the rest of the body. The Sador is tucked in triangular folds. A fitted blouse is worn to cover the breasts.
The third piece is called a Riha, which is worn under the Sador. It is narrow in width. This traditional dress of the Assamese women is very famous for their exclusive patterns on the body and the border. Women wear them during important religious and ceremonious occasions of marriage. Riha is worn exactly like a Sador and is used as Orni.
- Rignai
Rignai is the traditional dress of Tripuri women, the native inhabitants of Tripura. It is worn by wrapping it around the waist. It's worn with "Rikutu" which covers the upper half of the body. It is worn by every Tripuri woman in Tripura.[citation needed]
The most significant rignai is called the "Chamathwi bar" and comprises white cloth bordered by maroon or other colors. The "Chamathwi bar" is worn during important occasions like wedding ceremonies and festivals like Goria Puja and Hangrai.
Salwar Kameez
The salwar is a generic description of the lower garment incorporating the Punjabi salwar, Sindhi suthan, Dogri pajama (also called suthan), and the Kashmiri suthan. The salwar kameez has been traditionally worn by the women of the
The material for the dupatta usually depends upon that of the suit and is generally of cotton, georgette, silk, chiffon among others. [citation needed]
The suthan, similar to the salwar is common in
Churidaar
Churidaar is a variation on the Punjabi suit which is worn by women across India as casual attire or dressed up for occasions as an alternative to the sari or lehenga choli.
The Punjabi suit trouser, called the salwar and worn in the Punjab regions of India and Pakistan and across Pakistan generally, is baggy and caught in at the ankle.
However the churidaar is tightly fitted especially below the knees. The material for the leg length below the knee is exaggerated so that the material can bunch together at the ankle with horizontal gathers resembling a stack of bangles which are known as ‘churi’ or ‘churiya’.[41] The churidaar is worn with an upper garment such as a kurta top and the length of this may vary depending on the wearer's choice. In India, many churidaar tops resemble the traditional choli as they include a tight-fitting bodice and ties at the back however extra material is added from the end of the choli at the midriff to make a knee-length top, for example. Churidaars are also worn with dupattas, also known as chunnaris.
- Anarkali Suit
The Anarkali suit is made up of a long, frock-style top and features a leggings style bottom. The Anarkali is worn by some women in Northern India and mostly found in Pakistan, and the Middle East. The Anarkali suit varies in many different lengths and embroideries including floor length Anarkali styles. Many women will also opt for heavier embroidered Anarkali suits on wedding functions and events.
Some Indian women wear Anarkali suits on occasions as well such as parties, casual lunches, etc. In India, the Anarkali is sleeveless or with sleeves ranging from cap- to elbow-length.[42]
Lehenga Choli (skirt and blouse)
A Ghagra Choli or a Lehenga Choli is the traditional clothing of women in Rajasthan and Gujarat.[citation needed] Some Punjabis also wear them and they are used in some of their folk dances. It is a combination of lehenga, a tight choli and an odhani. A lehenga is a form of a long skirt that is pleated. It is usually embroidered or has a thick border at the bottom. A choli is a blouse which is cut to fit the body; it is cropped exposing the midriff and is tied at the back with naaris or ties made from the same cloth.
Different styles of ghagra cholis are worn by Indian women, ranging from a simple cotton lehenga choli as daily wear, a traditional ghagra with mirrors embellished usually worn during Navratri for the garba dance or a fully embroidered lehenga worn during the traditional Hindu and Sikh wedding ceremonies.
Popular among unmarried women other than
- Pattu Pavadai/Reshme Langa
Pattu Pavadai or Langa davani is a traditional dress in south India, usually worn by teenage and small girls. The pavada is a cone-shaped skirt, usually of silk, that hangs down from the waist to the toes. It normally has a golden border at the bottom.
Girls in south India often wear pattu pavadai or Langa davani during traditional functions.
A version of this is worn by girls in Rajasthan before marriage (and after marriage with sight modification in certain sections of society.)
- Langa - Voni/Dhavani
This is a type of South Indian dress mainly worn in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu, as well as in some parts of Kerala. This dress is a three-piece garment where the langa is the cone-shaped long flowing skirt.
Male clothing
Traditional clothing
For men, traditional clothes are the
Undergarments
Kaupin is unsewn and langota is sewn
It is mandatory for Sikhs to wear kacchera.
es.[46] It is held in place by a style of wrapping and sometimes with the help of a belt, ornamental and embroidered or a flat and simple one, around the waist.[47]
Owing to its widespread popularity throughout India, different languages have different terms to describe dhotis. In Marathi, it is called dhotar. In Punjabi, it is known as a chadra. In Gujarati it's known as "Dhotiyu", while in Telugu they are called Pancha. In Tamil, they are called veyti, and in . Over the dhoti, men wear shirts or kurtas.
Panche or Lungi
A Lungi is another traditional garment of India. A Mundu is a lungi, except that it is always white.[47] It is either tucked in, over the waist, up to knee-length, or is allowed to lie over and reach up to the ankle. It is usually tucked in when the person is working, in fields or workshops, and left open usually as a mark of respect, in worship places, or when the person is around dignitaries.
Lungis, generally, are of two types: the open lungi and the stitched lungi. The open lungi is a plain sheet of cotton or silk, whereas the stitched one has both of its open ends stitched together to form a tube-like structure.
Though mostly worn by men, elderly women also prefer lungi to other garments owing to its good aeration.[48] It is most popular in south India, though people of Bangladesh, Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, and Somalia also can be seen in lungis, because of the heat and humidity, which create an unpleasant climate for trousers, though trousers have now become common outside the house.[49]
Achkan
Achkan is a small jacket that usually sports exposed buttons throughout the length of the jacket. The length is usually just at the knees and the jacket ends just below the knee. Achkan is very similar to the
Bandhgala
A Jodhpuri or a Bandhgala is a formal evening suit from India. It originated in the
The material can be silk or any other suiting material. Normally, the material is lined at the collar and at the buttons with embroidery. This can be plain, jacquard, or jamewari material. Normally, the trousers match that of the coat. There is also a trend now to wear contrasting trousers to match the coat colour. Bandhgala quickly became a popular formal and semi-formal uniform across Rajasthan and eventually throughout India.[53]
Angarkha
The term angarkha is derived from the Sanskrit word Aṅgarakṣaka, which means protection of the body.[54] The angarkha was worn in various parts of the Indian subcontinent, but while the basic cut remained the same, styles and lengths varied from region to region. Angarakha is a traditional upper garment worn in the Indian subcontinent which overlaps and is tied to the left or right shoulder. Historically, the Angrakha was a court outfit that a person could wrap around himself, offering flexible ease with the knots and ties appropriate for wearing in the various principalities of ancient India.[55]
Jama
The jama is a long coat that was popular during the Mughal period. There are many types of jama costumes which were worn in various regions of South Asia, the use of which began to wane by the end of the 19th century A.D.[56] However, men in parts of Kutch still wear the jama also known as the angarkha[57] which has an asymmetric opening with the skirt flaring out to around the hips.[58] However, some styles fall to below the knees.
Headgear
The Indian turban or the pagri is worn in many regions in the country, incorporating various styles and designs depending on the place. Other types of headgear such as the Taqiyah and Gandhi cap are worn by different communities within the country to signify a common ideology or interest.
Dastar
The
Pheta
Pheta is the Marathi name for turbans worn in the state of Maharashtra. Its usually worn during traditional ceremonies and occasions. It was a mandatory part of clothing in the past and have evolved into various styles in different regions.[61] The main types are the Puneri Pagadi, Kolhapuri and Mawali pheta.[62]
Mysore Peta
Originally worn by the kings of
Rajasthani safa
Turbans in Rajasthan are called pagari or "safa". They are distinctive in style and colour, and indicate the caste, social class and region of the wearer. In the hot and dry regions, turbans are large and loose. The paggar is traditional in Mewar while the safa is to Marwar.[65] The colour of the pagaris have special importance and so does the pagari itself. In the past, saffron stood for valour and chivalry. A white turban stood for mourning. The exchange of a turban meant undying friendship.[66][67]
Gandhi topi
The Gandhi cap, a white coloured cap made of khadi was popularised by Mahatma Gandhi during the Indian independence movement. The practice of wearing a Gandhi cap was carried on even after independence and became a symbolic tradition for politicians and social activists. The cap has been worn throughout history in many states such as Gujarat, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal and is still worn by many people without political significance. In 2013, the cap regained its political symbolism through the Aam Aadmi Party, which flaunted Gandhi caps with "I am a Common Man" written over it. This was partly influenced by the "I Am Anna" caps used during Anna Hazare's Lokpal movement. During the 2013 Delhi Legislative Assembly election, these caps led to a scuffle between Aam Aadmi Party and Congress workers, based on the reasoning that Gandhi caps were being used for political benefits.[68]
The Kashmir shawl
One of India's most famous exports was the Kashmir shawl, distinctive for its Kashmiri weave, and traditionally made of
Contemporary clothing
During the 1960s and 1970s, at the same time as Western fashion was absorbing elements of Indian dress, Indian fashion also began to actively absorb elements of Western dress.[69][70] Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Western designers enthusiastically incorporated traditional Indian crafts, textiles and techniques in their work at the same time as Indian designers allowed the West to influence their work.[69][70] By the turn of the 21st century, both Western and Indian clothing had intermingled creating a unique style of clothing for the typical urban Indian population. Women started wearing more comfortable clothing and exposure to international fashion led to a fusion of western and Indian styles of clothing.[69][70] While women have the choice to wear either Western or traditional dress to work,[71] most Indian multinational companies insist that male employees wear Western dress.
Women's clothing in India nowadays consists of both formal and casual wear such as gowns, pants, shirts, and tops. Traditional Indian clothing such as the kurti have been combined with jeans to form part of casual attire.[70] Fashion designers in India have blended several elements of Indian traditional designs into conventional western wear to create a unique style of contemporary Indian fashion.[69][70]
See also
- Fashion designers of India
- Fashion in India
- Kimkhwab
- 1950s in Indian fashion
- 1960s in Indian fashion
- 1970s in Asian fashion
- 1980s in Indian fashion
- National Institute of Fashion Technology
- 1990s in Indian fashion
- 2000s in Indian fashion
- 2010s in Indian fashion
Bibliography
- J.Forbes Watson (1866). The Textile Manufactures and the Costumes of the People of India. India Office by George Edward Eyre and William Spottiswoode, London.
- Illustrations of the Textile Manufactures of India. Victoria & Albert Museum, London. 1881.
- Albert Buell Lewis (1924). Block Prints from India for Textiles. Field Museum for Natural History, Chicago.
Notes
- ^ These were vegetable dyes, commonly used in textiles. Non-vegetable dyes were also used such as gairika (red ochre), sindura (red lead), kajal (lampblack), sulphate of iron, sulphate of antimony and carmine.[15]
- Rig Veda, Mandala 10, hymn 75, mentions the valley of Sindhu as suvasa urnavati i.e home to plenty of sheep[citation needed]
- ^ The Periplus states the various regions of production of cloth, including the Gangetic plain. Ancient Romans called Indian textiles by names such as gangetika, nebula and venti meaning woven wind. Marco Polo's Description of the world gives an idea of textile trade of the time, with a mention that Gujarat has the best textiles in the world.[20]
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Further reading
- Boroian, Michael; Poix, Alix de. (2008). India by Design: The Pursuit of Luxury and Fashion. ISBN 0-470-82396-8.
- Russell, Rebecca Ross (2010). Ownership Case Study: Indian Wife/Widow Jewelry, in: Gender and Jewelry: A Feminist Analysis. CreateSpace. ISBN 1-4528-8253-3.