Traditional and local dresses of India by State - Part 3
Just like language and food, clothing in India changes depending on the different ethnicity, geography, climate, and cultural traditions of the people of each region of India. India also has a great diversity in terms of weaves, fibers, colours, and material of clothing. Sometimes, color codes are followed in clothing based on the religion and ritual concerned.
A. Part 1: Assam, Bihar, Chhatiisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh
B. Part 2: Jammu and Kashmir, Kerala , Maharashtra, Manipur, Nagaland and Odisha or Orissa
C. This page: Punjab , Rajasthan , Sikkim , Telangana , Uttarakhand , West Bengal
13. Ethnic dresses of Punjab - The land of five rivers
"Punjab" means the land of five rivers. All the rivers flow out of the Himalayas. Punjab's culture is supposed to be one of the oldest and richest cultures in the world.
Salwar Suit is the traditional dress of Punjabi women also called Punjabi Suit. It comprises of a top piece called Kurta or Kameez and and the pants or the bottom piece. The Phulkari is the traditional embroidery of Punjab. The traditional kurta of the Punjab region is wide and falls to the knees and is cut straight.
There are various types of the bottom piece or the pant. The one I am wearing is very famous and called Patiala. This baggy and pleated trouser has its roots in the namesake city of Punjab - Patiala. This was initially worn by men but later became a part of women's attire.
Two more noteworthy part of Punjabi dresses - First is "Jutti" or Punjabi shoes. It has been part of the royalty of the Kings for 400 years and is traditionally embroidered on leather in real gold or silver threads. The unique features of this handcrafted footwear is that it has no left or the right side distinction and can be worn on any foot of choice.
Second is "Parandi" - The hair braiding accessory - bedecked with jewelry and colorful threads. Parandi is matched with necklaces, tikka, bangles and golden shimmer added to the tip of it.
Finally, Chunni or Dupatta which is long fabric wore as a shawl. It is a must traditional wear and comes in vibrant colors which are fully designed with intricate works.
Just for fun, I also tried to imitate the Punjabi men's dress. What I am wearing is simple kurta on top and the bottom part is Punjabi version of the dhoti, known as Tehmat/Tamba or laccha.
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14. Princely state Rajasthan and its attires
The state of majestic forts, royal palaces, architecture and colorful, vibrant attires.
Traditional attire for Rajasthani women is Ghagra, Choli and odhni. The ghagra is a full-length, embroidered and pleated skirt, which comes in a variety of colors, prints and fabrics, such as silk, cotton, georgette and crêpe. Of all the various prints, the laharia, bandhej, tie ‘n dye, chundri and mothra are the most widely worn. To impart royal elegance, antique borders and Jaipuri gota-patti work are incorporated to the ghagra.
The odhni, or chunar, is a long piece of cloth, approximately 2.5 meters in length and 1.5 meters in width, and is worn as a veil. Made of light printed or patched fabric, it features beautiful embroidery, beadwork or other embellishments. There are different ways of wearing it, but the most traditional way is tucking one corner inside the ghagra, resting the middle portion on the chest and draping the end part over each shoulder and above the head, covering it gracefully.
Elaborate necklaces, like Jadau sets, aad (chokers) and Raani Har (long necklaces to the belly button) are worn around the neck, especially by women from affluent families.
Kaanbali or surliya (earrings), nathani (nosepins), bajubandh (armlets), rakhdi or borla (maang tikkas), tagdi or kardhani (belly or waist chains), payal (anklets), bangadi (bangles), bichuwa (toe rings) and finger rings are also worn to complete the ensemble. You will find almost all of these jewelry in the pics below.
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15. Traditional dresses of Indian state - Sikkim
Sikkim is a state in northeastern India. It borders China, Bhutan and Nepal.
The clothing of Sikkim shows this diversity and exemplifies social and cultural lives of the three main resident communities - the Lepchas, Bhutias and the Nepalis.
The one I am wearing is the grace of Nepalese women, the traditional attire called Pharia. Like in the case of the Bhutias, a long, loose blouse fastened on four sides is worn, standing true to its name, Chaubandi Cholo. For extra coverage, the upper body is wrapped elegantly with a piece of cloth that comes in beautiful prints, known as Hembari. Majetro shawl is also used by them.
In addition to the Pharia, Nepalese women wear a piece of colourful cloth suspended from head to waist while dancing. It is called Pachauri.
The ornaments that give a gaudy appearance to the Nepalese women are Sir-Bandi or tiara, i.e., a jewelled head-ornament, Kantha, a necklace, Naugeri, a pearl-necklace, Charanihari, again a necklace, Tilhari, a green bead with an elongated gold pendant.
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16. The fusion of North India and South India - Telangana
India's youngest state which was born on 2014, as the 29th state of India. It is known as the region where the fusion of two cultures takes place namely North and South.
Telangana is rich in cotton and silk saree production and its innovative plant dye extraction history stands next to diamond mining. It is also famous for its weaving tech.
The most common apparel worn by women is saree along with langa voni, salwar kameez and churidar. A langa voni (also pavadai daavani or langa davani) is a traditional dress worn by young girls before marriage. It is also known as the two-piece sari or half sari.
The famous Sarees made in Telangana include Pochampally Saree and Gadwal saree. Pochampally weave is commonly called ikkat or tie and dye weave.
Beautifully designed handloom made sarees have rich ethnicity and texture. Decorated and brocaded with beautiful gold plating.
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17. Dresses of India by State - Uttarakhand, land of Gods
Also known among the natives as Uttaranchal. The state is famous across India for its holy places. This Devbhoomi (Land of Gods) is situated in the mountainous region of the Himalayas and is also a popular tourist destination.
Uttarakhand is home to Garhwalis and Kumaonis depending on which part of Uttarakhand they belong to. In the Garhwal region, women usually wear sari tied in a particular way, the pallu going from the front and knotted on the shoulder, with a waistband made of cloth. This is considered convenient for women, as it makes it easier to carry food and does not interfere with their work on the fields. This is very different from the rest of India and they are also very particular about the way they wear.
The sari is worn with a full sleeves Angra (blouse) with big buttons. They also add a headscarf scarf to protect their hair from damage and to carry the harvest.
A married woman is supposed to wear hansuli (silver ornament) worn around the neck, guloband (resembles the contemporary choker), black beads and silver necklace called chareu, silver payal, silver necklace, silver dhagula (bracelet) and bichuye (toe rings). The most significant and consistent is the BIG nath (nose ring) which almost covers half of their face. .
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18. Traditional Dresses of India by State - West Bengal
Traditional dresses of West Bengal represent the rich culture not only of the region but of all India.
The state is synonymous with a rich cultural heritage that reflects in its literature, cuisine, music, painting and much more. Bengal's sartorial legacy derives from the royal patronage and the nobility that valued the richness of traditional techniques of weaving, embroidery and stitching.
There are many varieties of cloth and materials which are used to make sarees from Dhakai Jamdani (of Dhaka), Baluchari, Tant to Tussar Silk and many more. What makes Bangali women different is how they wear the saree. The style which takes it apart from other regions. You will see that in West Bengal style, 'pallu' comes in the front rather going back.
The saree I am wearing can be related to "Korial and Garad" style. Garad, meaning white, is the traditional Bengali saree with a bright red border and stripes in the pallu offset against the un-dyed white silk. Imbued with religious significance, garad sarees and their counterpart 'Korial' with intricate buti or flower patterns in the body, are hugely popular during the puja (worship), weddings and other religious ceremonies. Paired with the typically Bengali ivory/conch shell and red lacquer bangles, garad sarees are an epitome of grace and authentic Bengali beauty.
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