Indian Clothing

Traditional Indian Clothing – a Must-Have for Festivals

It is not uncommon to find a calendar in an Indian household that is marked all over. Well, it is thanks to the several festivals Indians enjoy throughout the year. The reason behind the many festivals in the Indian subcontinent is its diverse culture. These are the days every Indian eagerly waits for from the very beginning of the year. Since these festivals are marked with great pomp, their preparations too are pompous; among which, shopping for traditional Indian clothing is the most elaborate act.

Every Indian state has some distinct festivals of its own. If the Bengalis look forward to Durga Puja, the Punjabis do the same for Lohri, Keralans for Onam and Maharashtrans for Ganesh Chaturthi, to name a few. Festivals like Diwali and Holi are celebrated all over the country, except by the Muslim population whose main festival is Eid. So, you see, the shopping spree of Indians never really gets over.

The festivals that call for wearing traditional Indian clothing is quite a welcome change to Indians who, otherwise, wear formals and casuals.

Traditional clothing for Indian women

When it comes to clothes for women, options are obviously aplenty. One can choose a sari, a salwar kameez, churidar kurta or a lehenga choli.

A sari is a dress that is worn by almost every woman in the country, not just for festivals but as a regular wear as well. A 6 yard long piece of cloth, a sari is not an outfit that needs to fit, but be draped. Quite interestingly, in India, each state has a distinct way of draping it. A sari also comes in various fabrics and embroidery, the two factors on which its type is differentiated. Like, you have the Sambalpuri sari of the East, Kanchipuram of the South, Banarasi of the North and Paithani of the West, to name a few.

Traditional Indian Clothing

A sari is generally worn by wrapping around the waist, with one of its end tucked in the petticoat, which is like a skirt with a drawstring, and the other end falling over the left shoulder. The rest of the cloth is pleated and tucked inside the petticoat. This attire is incomplete without a blouse that may come in several cuts.

The salwar kameez is the traditional outfit of the women of Punjab, Himachal and Haryana. The outfit incorporates Dogri pajama, Sindi suthan and Kashmiri suthan. Like the sari, this attire too is worn by the Indian women at large. The salwar is a loose trouser narrower at the ankles, which is topped by a kameez that is like a tunic. The garment is incomplete without a dupatta or odhni, which comes in various fabrics as well.

The churidar is the same as the salwar kameez but comes with a tight fitting and long trouser, which results in several folds when worn. This is the specialty of the garment.

The Lehenga or Ghagra Choli is the traditional wear of the women of Gujarat and Rajasthan. While the Ghagra or lehenga is a heavy and embroidered skirt, the choli is a blouse that can be bare back and midriff baring or a fully covered one.

Traditional attire for Indian men

Unlike women, men do not have too many options. They generally stick to salwar kurta, churidar, sherwani or dhoti kurta, at the most. A headdress called ‘pagri’ is worn by north Indian men. The kurta pajama and churidar is the male counterpart of the women’s attire of the same name. The dhoti, like the sari, is a piece of cloth that is tied around the waist. The sherwani, on the other hand, is worn with a churidar and is topped by a jacket that comes down to the calves.

Though the markets in India are flooded with traditional Indian clothing, they are also available at online Indian clothing stores. Their collections are as good as the Indian markets.

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