Labh Lakshmi

Bihar In the east, Jharkhand, Bihar and Bengal are known for their hand woven textiles. Bihar, for its golden tussar silk weaving and Bengal for cotton Tangail, and silk Jamdani and Baluchari saris. The seven northeastern states are known for a range of tribal crafts including handloom shawls and clothing. In Orissa there are many different designs and motifs woven in cotton and silk to create the distinctive saris of Orissa – Bomkai, Teliarumaal, Sambalpuri which are cherished by women in India.

Uttar Pradesh has had a long history of getting exposed to various cultures and traditions, which has helped the state to evolve a pluralistic heritage that is manifested through costumes, cuisines, handicrafts, dances and music among many other things. Over centuries, a wide variety of cultures and traditions, crafts and costumes, arts and cuisines has evolved in this state that has long been the cultural seat of India.

What makes Jammu and Kashmir`s costumes and attires different from the rest of India is because of the blend of three distinct cultural backgrounds. Filled with greener pastures the dressing in the region of Kashmir becomes more colourful with exquisite embroidered work that accompanies their clothes, especially the shawls and Pherans, which are embroidered with intricate patterns of multihued threadwork. Up above in Ladakh , the dressing sense is having a trans-Himalayan influence in it. One can check the true colours of this barren cold desert in the festive seasons when the ceremonial attires just astound the spectators. Kashmiri Muslims used to wear the pheran, a long loose gown hanging down below the knees, a white turban tied on a skull cap, a close-fitting shalwar and lace less shoes called gurgabi. A white piece of material is hung on their shoulders like a stole. Hindu men wear churidar pyjama instead of shalwar. The less affluent Muslims wear skull caps, which looks cute and does not carry any shawl.

Kashmir Dresses

Rajasthan is colorful because of what its people wear. The dull-colored monotone of the sands and hills look cheery with the vibrant spirits of the people who wear bright colors to make up for the absence of blossoming flowers. Interesting costumes and jewellery of these desert people are not mere ornaments for them. Everything from head-to-toe including the turbans, clothes, jewellery and even the footwear establishes your identity, your religion and your economic and social status in Rajasthan. The dresses of the males and the females are well defined and are made to suit the climate and conditions in which they live. While pagari (turban), angarakha, dhotis or pyjamas, kamarband or patka (waistband) form integral part of a males attire, the females attire includes ghaghara (long skirt), kurti or choli (tops and blouses respectively) and odhani.

The rich agricultural states of Punjab and Haryana are famous for the `phulkari (flower-work) shawls that, worn with a tight-fitting choli and gaghra. Phulkari forms the traditional costume of rural women of this region. It was a costume both spectacular and eminently practical. Phulkaris were made for everyday wear. Usually the border and field of the shawl were not so densely embroidered, with much of the ground cloth exposed. For ceremonial occasions, however, a special kind of phulkari known as a `bagh` (garden) was made, in which the whole of the ground was covered with embroidery, so that the base cloth was not visible at all. On the birth of a baby, the grandmother, after a ceremony of prayers and distribution of sweets to the baby`s aunts, would start to embroider a bagh. It would take several years to complete and was embroidered with special care to be used later at the grandchild`s wedding, after which it would be kept as a family treasure.

Northern India is a land of great geographical contrasts. On one hand there are the fertile plains of Punjab, also known as the land of five rivers and Haryana that are nourished by the waters and alluvium of the Himalayas. While, on the other are the hill stations of Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh that are located amid the foothills of the Himalayas. These hill stations have always been a shelter for travelers. The ever-sprawling suburbs of Delhi and the vast and populous state of Uttar Pradesh are also located in the North of India. These stretch from the Himalayas and follow the holy river Ganges on its southward and eastward path towards the sea.

Indian Traditional Costumes

Many Indian men and women wear traditional costumes around the world. Know about the traditional costumes in different states of India.

Traditional dress in India greatly varies across the regions in its colours and styles, and depends on various factors, including climate. The traditional sari and the salwar kameez are popular styles of dress for women. Traditional raiments for men are the kurta and dhoti. Indian dress varies widely throughout India, where both traditional and Western-style clothing are commonplace.

Indian Clothing

Traditional Indian clothing has come into prominence once again. Well, if you notice the trends in fashion industry, you’ll realize that modern fashion has aped the styling and designing of the bygone eras, the period of royalty, when Maharajas and Ranis used to spend extravagantly on their clothing. Whatever the royals chose to go in for was reminiscent of splendor and luxury.

The creative fashion designers of today are in a lookout for ethnic designs that take us close to our cultural roots and remind us of the glorious past. Well, in this section, we will provide you with information on the different kinds of traditional clothing in India, so read on…