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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 likekaupina,langota,achkan,lungi,sari, to perform rituals and dances. In urban areas, western clothing is common and uniformly worn by people of all social levels. India also has a great diversity[1] in terms of weaves, fibres, colours, and the material of clothing. Sometimes, colour codes are followed in clothing based on the religion and ritual concerned. The clothing in India also encompasses a wide variety ofIndian embroidery, prints, handwork, embellishments, and styles of wearing clothes. A wide mix of Indian traditional clothing and western styles can be seen in India.
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India's recorded history of clothing goes back to the fifth millenniumBC in theIndus Valley Civilisation wherecotton was spun, woven and dyed. Bone needles and woodenspindles have been unearthed inexcavations at the site.[2] The cotton industry in ancient India was well developed, and several of the methods survive until today.Herodotus, an ancientGreek historian described Indian cotton as "a wool exceeding in beauty and goodness that of sheep".[3] Indian cotton clothing was well adapted to the dry, hot summers of thesubcontinent. The grand epicMahabharata, composed in about 400 BC, tells of the godKrishna staving offDraupadi's disrobing by bestowing an unendingcheera upon her.[4][better source needed] Most of the present knowledge of ancient Indian clothing comes from rock sculptures and paintings in cave monuments such asEllora. These images show dancers and goddesses wearing what appears to be a dhoti wrap, a predecessor to the modernsari. The upper castes dressed in finemuslin and wore gold ornaments[5] The Indus civilisation also knew the process of silk production. An analysis of Harappan silk fibres in beads has shown that silk was made by the process ofreeling, a process allegedly known only to China until the early centuries AD.[6]Kimkhwab is an Indian brocade woven of silk and gold or silver thread. The wordkimkhwāb, derived from the Persian, means "a little dream",Kimkhwāb, known in India from ancient times, was calledhiraṇya, or cloth of gold, in Vedic literature (c. 1500 BC). In the Gupta period (4th–6th century AD) it was known aspuṣpapaṭa a, or cloth with woven flowers. During theMughal period (1556–1707), whenkimkhwāb was extremely popular with the rich, the great centres of brocade weaving were Benares (Vārānasi), Ahmādābād, Surat, and Aurangābād. Benares is now the most important centre ofkimkhwāb production.[7] WhenAlexander invaded Gandhara in 327 BC, block-printed textiles from India were noticed.[8][9][10]
According to the Greek historianArrian:[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 theKasaya of Buddhist monks.[12] During theMaurya andGupta period, the people wore both stitched and non-stitched clothing. The main items of clothing were theAntariya made of white cotton or muslin, tied to the waist by asash calledKayabandh and a scarf called theUttariya used to drape the top half of the body.[citation needed]
New trade routes, both overland and overseas, created a cultural exchange with Central Asia and Europe. Romans boughtindigo for dyeing and cotton cloth as articles of clothing. Trade with China via theSilk Road introduced silk textiles using domesticated silkworms.Chanakya's treatise onpublic administration, theArthashastra 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 theJamdani,Kasika vastra ofVaranasi,butidar, and theIlkal saree.[citation needed]Brocades of silk were woven with gold and silver threads. TheMughals played a vital role in the enhancement of the art, and thepaisley andLatifa Buti are examples of Mughal influence.[citation needed]
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,Vishnudharmottara states five tones of white, namelyIvory,Jasmine, August moon, August clouds after the rain and the conch shell.[14] The commonly used dyes wereindigo(Nila),madder red andsafflower.[15][a] The technique ofmordant dyeing was prevalent in India since the second millennium BC.[16]Resist dyeing andKalamkari techniques were hugely popular and such textiles were the chief exports.
Integral to the history of Indian clothing is theKashmiri shawl. Kashmiri shawl varieties include theShahtoosh, popularly known as the 'ring shawl' and thepashmina wool shawls, historically calledpashm. Textiles of wool find mention as long back as the Vedic times in association with Kashmir; the Rig Veda refers to the Valley of Sindh as being abundant in sheep,[citation needed][b] and the godPushan has been addressed as the 'weaver of garments',[17] which evolved into the termpashm for the wool of the area. Woollen shawls have been mentioned in Afghan texts of the third century BC, but reference to the Kashmir work is done in the 16th century AD. The sultan of Kashmir,Zain-ul-Abidin is generally credited with the founding of the industry.[18] A story says that the Roman emperorAurelian received a purplepallium from a Persian king, made of Asian wool of the finest quality.[citation needed] The shawls were dyed red or purple, red dye procured from cochineal insects and purple obtained by a mixture of red and blue fromindigo[19] The most prized Kashmiri shawls were theJamavar and theKanika Jamavar, woven using weaving spools with coloured thread calledkani and a single shawl taking more than a year for completion and requiring 100 to 1500kanis depending on the degree of elaboration.[17]
Indian textiles were traded from ancient times with China, Southeast Asia, and theRoman Empire. ThePeriplus of the Erythraean Sea mentionsmallow cloth,muslins and coarse cottons.[20][c] Port towns likeMasulipatnam andBarygaza won fame for its production of muslins and fine cloth. Trade with theArabs who were middlemen in thespice trade between India and Europe brought Indian textiles into Europe, where it was favoured by royalty in the 17th–18th century.[21] TheDutch,French andBritish East India Companies competed for monopoly of the spice trade in the Indian Ocean but were posed with the problem of payment for spices, which was in gold or silver. To counter this problem,bullion was sent to India to trade for the textiles, a major portion of which were subsequently traded for spices in other trade posts, which then were traded along with the remaining textiles in London. Printed Indiancalicos,chintz, muslins and patterned silk flooded the British market and in time the designs were copied onto imitation prints by textile manufacturers in Britain, reducing the dependence on India.[22]
Opposition toBritish rule in India, in particular the1905 partition of Bengal, sparked the nationwideSwadeshi 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 ofKhadi. 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]
In India, women's clothing varies widely and is closely associated with thelocal culture,religion andclimate.
Traditional Indian clothing for women across the country in Indian includessaris worn withcholi tops; a skirt called alehenga orchaniya worn with choli and adupatta scarf to create an ensemble called aghagra choli; while many south Indian children traditionally wearLanga voni.[citation needed]. Across India, saris are traditionally worn by married women although in areas such asRajasthan andGujarat, for example, thechaniya choli (as it is called there) is worn by all ages. In many rural parts of India, traditional clothing is still worn today due to ease of materials, comfort and accessibility. Jewellery is hugely significant for Indian men and women. Men traditionally wear rings with stones or necklaces, and for women, there is an assortment of jewellery that includesmaang-tikka, earrings, nose rings, necklaces, bangles, waist chains, anklets and toe-rings - these all form part of the traditionalSolah Shringaar for married Hindu women. A Hindu religious mark called atilak is usually applied with sandalwood or vermillion between the eyebrows - and as such the modern iteration of the tilak known as a bindi is also worn.[citation needed]Indo-Western clothing is the fusion ofWestern andSubcontinental fashion. Other clothing includes thechuridar,gamucha,kurti andkurta,dhoti,lungi andsherwani.
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.
Asaree orsari[25][26] is a female garment in theIndian subcontinent.[27] A sari is a strip of unstitched cloth, ranging from four to nine metres in length, that is draped over the body in various styles. These include:Sambalpuri Saree from East, Mysore silk and Ilkal of Karnataka and,Kanchipuram of Tamil Nadu from South,Paithani fromMaharashtra andBanarasi from North among others.[28] The most common style is for the sari to be wrapped around the waist, with one end then draped over the shoulder baring the midriff.[27] The sari is usually worn over apetticoat.[29] Blouse may be "backless" or of a halter neck style. These are usually more dressy with a lot of embellishments such as mirrors or embroidery and may be worn on special occasions. Women in the armed forces, when wearing a sari uniform, don a half-sleeve shirt tucked in at the waist. Teenage girls may wear half-sarees, a three-piece set consisting of a langa, a choli and astole wrapped over it like a saree. Women usually wear full sarees. Indianwedding saris are typically red or pink, a tradition that goes back to India's pre-modern history.[30]
Saris are usually known by different names in different places. InKerala, white saris with golden borders, are known askavanis and are worn on special occasions. A simple white sari, worn as a daily wear, is called amundu. Saris are calledpudavai inTamil Nadu. InKarnataka, saris are calledSeere.[31] The traditional production ofhandloom sarees is important to economic development in rural communities.[32] The Sari Series[33] provides a documented resource of over 80 different regional drapes of India.
Mundum Neriyathum is the oldest remnant of the ancient form of thesaree which covered only the lower part of the body. It is the traditional dress of women inKerala, a state in the southwestern part of India.[34][35]The basic traditional piece is themundu or lower garment which is the ancient form of the saree denoted inMalayalam as 'Thuni' (meaning cloth), while theneriyathu forms the upper garment the mundu.[34][35]
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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 theMekhela (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 themekhela around the waist, though an underskirt with a string is often used.
The top portion of the three-piece dress, called theSador (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 aRiha, 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 asOrni.
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 colours. The "Chamathwi bar" is worn during important occasions like wedding ceremonies and festivals like Goria Puja and Hangrai.
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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. Thesalwar kameez has been traditionally worn by the women of thePunjab region and neighbouring areas, includingPunjab, Haryana,Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir, where the ensemble has been called thePunjabi suit,salwar suit or simplysuit. The Punjabi suit also includes the "churidaar" and "kurta" ensemble which is also popular in Southern India where it is known as the "churidaar".[36]
The material for thedupatta 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 inSindh where it is worn with thecholo[37] andKashmir where it is worn with thePhiran.[38] The Kashmiri phiran is similar to theDogri pajama. Thepatiala salwar is an exaggeratedly wide version of the salwar, its loose pleats stitched together at the bottom.[39][40]
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] Thechuridaar is worn with an upper garment such as akurta 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.
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]
AGhagra Choli or aLehenga Choli is the traditional clothing of women inRajasthan andGujarat.[citation needed] Some Punjabis also wear them and they are used in some of their folk dances. It is a combination oflehenga, a tightcholi and anodhani. Alehenga is a form of a long skirt that is pleated. It is usually embroidered or has a thick border at the bottom. Acholi 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 ofghagra 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 thegarba dance or a fully embroidered lehenga worn during the traditional Hindu and Sikh wedding ceremonies.
Popular among unmarried women other thanGagra choli andLanga voni are kurta tops worn over jeans or light cottontrousers.[43]
Pattu Pavadai orLanga davani is a traditional dress in south India, usually worn by teenage and small girls. Thepavada 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 wearpattu pavadai orLanga 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.)
This is a type of South Indian dress mainly worn inKarnataka, 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.
For men, traditional clothes are theAchkan/Sherwani,Bandhgala,Lungi,Kurta,Angarkha,Jama,Dhoti orKurtaPajama. Additionally, recently western clothing such astrousers andshirts have been accepted as traditional Indian dress by the Government of India.[44]
A kaupinam is unsewn while the langota is a sewnloincloth typically worn asunderwear indangal held inakharas, especiallywrestling, in order to preventhernias andhydrocele.[45]
It is mandatory forSikhs to wearkacchera.
[46] It is held in place by a style of wrapping and sometimes with the help of a belt, either as an ornamental and embroidered piece or a flat and simple one, secured around the waist.[47]
Owing to its widespread popularity throughout India, different languages have different terms to describe dhotis. InMarathi, it is calleddhotar. InPunjabi, it is known as achadra. InGujarati, it's known as "Dhotiyu", while inTelugu they are calledPancha. InTamil, they are calledveyti, and over the dhoti, men wear shirts or kurtas.
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ALungi is another traditional garment of India. AMundu 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 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 theSherwani which is a much longer coat-jacket dress. The jacket has aNehru collar.[50] The Achkan was mostly worn with tight-fitting pants or trousers calledchuridars. Achkan is made from various fabrics for both formal and informal occasions. The achkan features traditional Indian embroidery like gota and badla. Achkan was commonly worn by the grooms during wedding ceremonies[51] or other formal festive occasions in the Indian subcontinent but when it evolved into the Nehru Jacket, the achkan became less worn. It was used by men. In India, the achkan is generally worn for formal occasions in winter, especially by those fromRajasthan,Punjab, Uttar Pradesh andHyderabad. The achkan later evolved into theNehru Jacket, which is now popular in India. It may be embroidered with gold or silver. A scarf called a dupatta is sometimes added to the achkan.
AJodhpuri or aBandhgala is a formal evening suit from India. It originated in theJodhpur State, and was popularised during theBritish Raj in India. Also known asJodhpuri Suit,[citation needed] it is a western style suit product, with acoat and atrouser, at times accompanied by avest. It brings together the western cut with Indian hand-embroidery escorted by theWaist coat.[52] It is suitable for occasions such as weddings and formal gatherings.
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, orjamewari 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 acrossRajasthan and eventually throughout India.[53]
The term angarkha is derived from theSanskrit wordAṅgarakṣaka, which means protection of the body.[54] The angarkha was worn in various parts of theIndian 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]
Thejama is a long coat that was popular during theMughal period. There are many types of jama costumes which were worn in various regions ofSouth 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 thejama also known as theangarkha[57] which has an asymmetric opening with the skirt flaring out to around the hips.[58] However, some styles fall to below the knees.
The Indian turban or thepagri is worn in many regions in the country, incorporating various styles and designs depending on the place. Other types of headgear such as theTaqiyah andGandhi cap are worn by different communities within the country to signify a common ideology or interest.
TheDastar, also known as apagri, is a turban worn by theSikh community of India. Is a symbol of faith representing values such as valour, honour and spirituality among others. It is worn to protect the Sikh's long, uncut hair, theKesh which is one ofthe Five Ks ofSikhism.[59] Over the years, the dastar has evolved into different styles pertaining to the various sects of Sikhism such as theNihang and theNamdhari.[60]
Pheta is theMarathi name for turbans worn in the state ofMaharashtra. 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 thePuneri Pagadi, Kolhapuri and Mawalipheta.[62]
Originally worn by the kings ofMysore during formal meeting indurbar and in ceremonial processions during festivals, and meeting with foreign dignitaries, the Mysore peta has come to signify the cultural tradition of the Mysore andKodagu district.[63] TheMysore University replaced the conventionalmortarboard used in graduation ceremonies with the traditionalpeta.[64]
Turbans inRajasthan are calledpagari 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. Thepaggar is traditional inMewar while thesafa is toMarwar.[65] The colour of thepagaris have special importance and so does thepagari 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]
The Gandhi cap, a white coloured cap made ofkhadi was popularised byMahatma Gandhi during theIndian 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 asGujarat,Maharashtra,Uttar Pradesh andWest Bengal and is still worn by many people without political significance. In 2013, the cap regained its political symbolism through theAam 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 duringAnna Hazare's Lokpal movement. During the2013 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]
One of India's most famous exports was the Kashmir shawl, distinctive for its Kashmiri weave, and traditionally made ofshahtoosh orpashmina wool. Valued for its warmth, lightweight, and characteristicbuta design, the Kashmir shawl was originally used by Mughal royalty and nobility. In the late 18th century, it arrived in Europe, where its use byQueen Victoria of the United Kingdom andEmpress Joséphine of France popularised it as a symbol of exotic luxury and status. It became a toponym for theKashmir region itself (ascashmere), inspiring mass-produced imitation industries in Europe, and popularising thebuta, today known as thePaisley motif. Today, it continues to be a symbol of luxury in the Western world, commonly used as a gift to visiting dignitaries and used by public figures.
During the1960s and1970s, 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 afusion 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, andtops. Traditional Indian clothing such as thekurti 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]
