Clothing
To the foreign traveler, one of the powerful attractions in India is the
colorful and diversified attire of its people. The silk saris, brightly
mirrored cholis, colorful lehangas and the traditional salwar-kameez
have fascinated many a traveler over the centuries.
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Attire for Women
For a single length of material, the sari must be the most versatile
garment in existence. It is only one of the many traditional garments worn by
women, yet it has somehow become the national dress of Indian women. A sari
is a rectangular piece of cloth which is five to six yards in length. The style,
color and texture of this cloth varies and it might be made from cotton, silk or
one of the several man-made materials. The sari has an ageless charm
since it is not cut or tailored for a particular size. This garment can fit any
size and if worn properly can accentuate or conceal. This supremely graceful
attire can also be worn in several ways and its manner of wearing as well as its
color and texture are indicative of the status, age, occupation, region and
religion of a woman.
The tightly fitted, short blouse worn under a sari is a choli.
The choli evolved as a form of clothing in 10th century AD and the first cholis
were only front covering; the back was always bare. Bodices of this type are
still common in the state of Rajasthan.
Apart from the choli, women in Rajasthan wear a form of pleated skirt
known as the ghagra or lehanga. This skirt is secured at the waist
and leaves the back and midriff bare. The heads are however covered by a length
of fine cotton known as orhni or dupatta.
Another popular attire of women in India is the salwar-kameez. This
dress evolved as a comfortable and respectable garment for women in Kashmir and
Punjab, but is now immensely popular in all regions of India. Salwars are
pajama-like trousers drawn tightly in at the waist and the ankles. Over the salwars,
women wear a long and loose tunic known as a kameez. One might
occasionally come across women wearing a churidar instead of a salwar. A churidar
is similar to the salwar but is tighter fitting at the hips, thighs and ankles.
Over this, one might wear a collarless or mandarin-collar tunic called a kurta.
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Attire for Men
Though the majority of Indian women wear traditional costumes, the men in
India can be found in more conventional western clothing. Shirts and trousers
are worn by men from all regions in India. However, men in villages are still
more comfortable in traditional attire like kurtas, lungis, dhotis and
pyjamas.
The traditional lungi originated in the south and today it is worn by
men and women alike. It is simply a short length of material worn around the
thighs rather like a sarong. A dhoti is a longer lungi but with an
additional length of material pulled up between the legs. Pyjama-like trousers
worn by the villagers are known as the lenga.
Indian dressing styles are marked by many variations, both religious and
regional and one is likely to witness a plethora of colors, textures and styles
in garments worn by the Indians.
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