THE STUNNING COSTUMES OF INDIANS

INDIA – very well-known for its hand-woven textiles, richly embroidered fabrics, authentic drapes in exclusive designs have been prized by western civilization for centuries. Indian men and women have always loved to dress up in their traditional costumes, attires and accessories during festivals and other occasions which are an integral part of Indian life. Recently, Indian costumes have been successful in attracting the attention of and capturing the global market.

Women’s costumes:

1. The Sari

The sari is the traditional garment of an Indian woman. It is an unstitched piece of cloth, which varies from five to nine yards in length and can be worn in different styles. A sari is worn over a petticoat and a short-sleeved midriff-baring blouse. The most popular style of wearing a sari is by tucking one end into the petticoat at the waist while a major portion of it is pleated neatly and tucked in the front. The rest of the sari, which is known as the pallu or pallav is taken over the left shoulder. The pallu is the most fascinating and striking feature of a sari, it is often heavily embellished with woven motifs or embroidery.

There are different styles in wearing or draping a sari. Some women prefer the style of Bengali; they drape the sari around the body without pleats and the pallu is left loose by hanging over the left shoulder. According to my Indian friends, this is the simplest style and it gives comfort to those who wear it.

Bengali style

There are also women who prefer Gujarati; they wear a sari with a neatly pleated pallu brought in front over the right shoulder with one end tucked around the waist to the left.

Gujarati style

Other than Bengali and Gujarawati, Maharashtrian is also one of the style of draping a sari. It is a traditional style that  is very similar to the men’s dhoti. The pleats of the sari are placed between the legs and tucked in the centre back.

Maharashtrian style

Apart from that, there is also Madrasi-  This style is very similar to the Maharashtrian nawwadi or the nine-yard sari. The pallu is quite long and wrapped around the waist and tucked in.

Madrasi style

2. Salwar Kameez

It is the outfit that is commonly worn by Indian women and is second in line after the sari. The outfit is probably born out of Islamic influence especially that of Arabic and Persian cultures. Women all over the country prefer to wear this dress mainly because of the comfort and ease of movement that it offers. 

A salwar is a pair of loose pyjamas held together with a drawstring around the waist. It also comes in another version – very tight and narrow at the bottom with numerous extra folds gathered at the ankles. This is popularly known as a churidar. In Punjab, the women wear a patiala salwar which falls around the legs in innumerable pleats resembling a dhoti. A kameez is a long shirt, either loose or tight-fitting and comes in a straight or A-line shape. It is slit along the sides to allow freedom of movement. A salwar kameez is incomplete without a dupatta, which is a long piece of cloth to cover the bosom, but mostly used like a scarf.

3. Ghaghra / Lehenga Choli

A ghagra or a lehenga is a long gathered gypsy skirt with dazzling embroidery or mirror work and comes in vibrant colours. It is worn with a choli, which is a short closely fitted woman’s blouse that shows off the midriff, or a kurti (shorter version of a kurta). Some cholis can be fastened at the back by means of narrow strips of cloth or chords. An odhni or a dupatta (scarf) with intricate designs complements the outfit. Women in Rajasthan and Gujarat don this beautiful and highly sensuous outfit. Dressier versions are teamed with chunky silver jewellery during festivals and other important occasions.

Men’s costumes:

Some traditional costumes of Indian men are:

1. Dhoti: 

This remains the most traditional garment of the Indian male. It is a 6 yard-long rectangular piece of unstitched white cloth, which is wrapped around the waist and between the legs. The dhoti is ideal for the torrid summer of India. Its usage can be traced back to ancient times. Though western outfits have replaced the dhoti over the years, yet it remains the chosen one for Indian festivals and weddings. 

A dhoti can be worn in a variety of ways and have different names according to the style. For example, it is called a dhuti in Bengali, veshti in Tamil and pancha in Telugu. A dhoti is usually complemented with a kurta on top but in southern parts of India, it is worn mostly with a shirt. An angavastram or an unstitched piece of cloth is placed over the left shoulder in this case. A South Indian dhoti is worn like a lungi and often has a broad zari border. A common sight in South India is that of men folding the dhoti up to the knees for the purpose of comfort, during work.

2. Lungi 

This is a piece of cloth sewn in a circle and worn around the waist like a sarong. Besides India, lungis are popular in several communities across Asia, such as Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. The most common patterns of lungis are plain, checks or stripes. It is considered to be a very comfortable garment among males in regions where conditions make it impossible and uncomfortable for the men to wear trousers all the time.

In Punjab, a lungi is also called a tehmat, which is made of extravagant silks in an endless variety of hues and shades. It is draped in a manner where the pleats fall in the front. Punjabi men wear this with a long kurta and an embroidered jacket and of course, a colourful pagdi (turban).

That's all for Indian costumes. They are so attractive, right? 

Till we meet again. Thank you for reading!

Ref: hinduonline.com