TRADITIONAL WEAR OF INDIAN WOMEN ACROSS ALL DIFFERENT STATES

Hello Everyone!

So, this will be very interesting topic to discuss as we all agree that our country have its own cultural heritage and different states have different lifestyle. Here in this discussion we will see the different clothing and lifestyles of different states of our country.




What makes the Indian couture so unique is the fact that you will find each and every state of the country having its own distinct traditional clothing for men and women. For instance, the salwar kameez is the ethnic attire of women in Punjab; the Mekhala Chadar is worn by Assamese women, and so on. However, all types of Indian clothing look very elegant and Indians wear them with a lot of pride. The festivities and other special occasions are the time when you can see maximum Indians donning their ethnic garb, be it sari, kurta pajama or dhoti.

A sari is long strip of colorful multi-patterned cloth seductively wrapped around the body, teemed with a blouse! It's the traditional dress for the women folk in India and there are many styles in which you can drape it. The blouse worn with sari is also called the choli or ravika. The salwar kameez, on the other hand, is the most ubiquitous of all traditional women attires in India. Due to its popularity in the Punjab region, it is sometimes also called the Punjabi suit.

The Indian men's traditional attire consists of the kurta and pajama, dhoti, lungi and other dresses. Worn on both formal and informal occasions, kurta and pajama are quite popular dress of Indian men. The kurta is like a loose long shirt almost reaching the knees, whereas the Pyjama is a lightweight drawstring trouser. The men's dhoti is a rectangular piece of unstitched cloth about five yards long, wrapped about the waist and the legs and knotted at the waist. It is known by different names like Laacha in Punjabi, Mundu in Malayalam, Dhuti in Bangla, etc.



So, I am going to list down all the different lifestyles and clothing culture of all the different states of our country!

1. JAMMU KASHMIR-

Starting with the crown of our country, Jammu Kashmir have a really interesting lifestyle although we understand the difficulties of the people of Jammu Kashmir. I like the Kashmiri womens the most I don't know why?

Jammu and Kashmir is one of those states that has become famous for its many sided culture. The three regions namely Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh have different people with their diverse culture and traditions.
         

Dressing of Jammu & Kashmir-The moment you enter the state of Jammu and Kashmir, you will notice that the clothing here is totally different. Most people here wear traditional clothes, though you will see working executives and youngsters in western clothes as well. Traditional clothes for men include Kurta Pyjama in summers, but in winters, woolen clothes come out. A kind of an overcoat called Pheran is worn over Kurta. It is quite loose but inside Pheran, a warm pot called kangri is kept, such is the severity of winters here. For women, ladies suit and Burqha (veil) is the most common attire in summers and in winters Phreran are used. What lights your soul in Jammu and Kahsmir more than then anything is the beautiful people of the state. They teach you a new way of living a happy life under all circumstances and giving others a lesson.


2. HIMACHAL PRADESH- Costumes of Rajput or Brahmin women are very traditional. They usually wear kurtas, rahide and Ghagra Lehenga Choli. Most of the farmers and women working put on a loincloth, kurta and a traditional cap. During special occasions like parties, marriages and festivals, they wear new Kurta Pyjamas. The Chamba people love adornment. Head scarves are common among women in this community.

The influence of western culture and their wearing can be seen on young girls. Hand-woven is a trade mark (hallmark) of the clothing in Himachal Pradesh. The beautiful utility shoes are made from the grass by keeping in mind the size of feet and make them warm. Different styles of gowns, saris and kurtas are designed by handlooms.


3. UTTARAKHAND- The traditional clothing of Uttarakhand women are Ghagri, an oriental long skirt, topped off by a Choli, an Indian blouse and an Orni, a cloth covering the head and the front portion, usually fastened to the waist, happen to be the traditional costume of the women of Uttarakhand, namely, the Garhwalis and the Kumaonis. The traditional bridal costume of the Kumaoni is Ghaghra-Pichora, akin to Ghaghra Lehenga- Choli. Pichora is a Kumaoni veil or Rangwali, endowed with gold and silver tatting. But women also go for sarees. The hallmarks of Kumaoni woman are sindoor smeared on the forehead, and an enormous gold ring, called Nath. Further, Chareu, a black beaded necklace is worn by the married woman, is a holy accessory for Garhwali married woman. A luxury ornament item is Hansuli, a kind of necklace, preferred in gold by the rich, and in silver, by the less affluent, or poor.

Some of the ethnic groups, drape themselves in mantle-like clothing, called Sarong, girdled by a waistband and completed with a top-blouse. Muslin textiles, specially muslin veils or Rangwalis are assets of Uttarakhand costume designing. They come in auspicious hues of yellow, signifying warmth and cordiality and red, symbolic of the holy bond of marriage.

4. PUNJAB-Punjab is one colorful region of the world with rich culture that keeps on inspiring and attracting the people globally. The traditional women clothes of the region are perfect blends of beauty, elegance and comfort. Punjabi suits in different varieties are the most popular costumes that women in this region wear.

The significance of traditional Punjabi women wear can be seen in regular wear as well as for different types of occasions. From the festive celebrations of Baisakhi to the wedding rituals, these ethnic clothes are centers of attraction. In fact, these clothes completely justify the celebrating spirit of people in the state.

5. UTTAR PRADESH-For the women of Uttar Pradesh sari is the basic and the most graceful form of dress. The saree is draped in different styles in the cities and in the villages of the hills.

Salwar suit, lehangas, shararas, and gararas, the flairy parallel trouser-like dress, worn over long kurtas are also popular in the state, especially among the Muslim women.

6.HARYANA- Women of Haryana uses to wear a Chunder which is a long piece of cloth, available in a wide spectrum of colors. These wonderfully colored Chunder are tatted with shimmering laces. The Chunder are draped around the head and the front part of the body. The purpose of this cloth is similar to Dupatta of salwar-kameez and the Aanchal of the saree. Kurti is a shirt-like blouse, worn as a top-garment. It usually comes in white colour. Daman is the ankle-long skirt, flowing with a flare at the bottom. It normally comes in brilliant bright hues. The women in Haryana usually accessorize this attire with silver and gold jewellery. 

7.RAJSTHAN- Rajasthani women wear ankle-length long skirts with narrow waist that gain width like an umbrella at the base. It is called 'ghaghara'. However, the length has been kept a little short on purpose, so that foot ornaments are visible. The width and the number of pleats in the 'ghaghara' symbolize one's prosperity. It comes in many colors and styles. The skirt is not folded at the lower end like normal skirts but a broad colored fabric known as sinjaf is sewn underneath to make it stronger. Ghagaras come in many styles but the most popular ones are dyed or printed cotton ghagharas with laharia, mothra and chunari prints just like the turbans of the males. The odhani is a cotton cloth 2.5 to 3 meters long and 1.5 to 2 meters wide that acts as a veil for women.

8.GUJRAT- Main costume of Gujrati Womes's are : Chaniyo and Choli
When it comes to the dressing style of Gujarat, the first and foremost thing that comes to mind is its unique culture and tradition. Though the western state of India – Gujarat has cultural costumes, they also reflect the changes and modernization. Moreover, the boom in fashion industry has influenced the culture of Gujarat. People have started adopting the western dresses. The weather condition of Gujarat also plays a big role in the clothing of its inhabitants. Apart from enriched outfits, females beautify and adorn themselves with ornaments, stylish accessories and fancy jewelleries.

9.MADHYA PRADESH- Madhya Pradesh is also called as “Heart of India” where costumes differ among people, tribes, cultures, religions and so on. The clothing of this state of India displays the multiplicity in diverse aspects. Textiles and handicrafts are designed beautifully with rich ornaments.
Most of the women in Madhya Pradesh wear Lehenga and Choli. There is another clothing i.e. Lugra or Odhni covered over the shoulder and head. Black and red are the most prominent colors which you can see in women’s dresses. Saree can also be seen on females in this part of India. Bandhani dresses are produced in bulk in Ujjain, Indore and Maundsar. To pain the fabric, modern wax is used and it is dyed using cold dyes. Hence the clothing is widely worn all across Madhya Pradesh. Maheshwari Sarees and Chanderi Sarees have fame not only in the state but other parts of India and world as well. They are produced with hand-woven and famous for their delicate styles. Due to the growth of Madhya Pradesh and modernization of people, most females can be seen in Western outfits, even in tribal areas, Kasbas and towns.

10.CHHATISGRADH- The women of Chhattisgarh are famous for wearing `Lugda` (sari) and `Polkha` (blouse) along with attractive ornaments and jewels which was also an integral part of the culture and heritage.
Another prominent fabric making technique which is used worldwide today is Batik, a gift from the heritage of Chhattisgarh. Batik weaving and tie-dye have been one of the prominent techniques of making fabrics in this state. Cloth is tied up firmly with threads and then dipped in multi-colored dyes. This produces multi-color prints; this technique is also called Bandhani and is used to create fabrics all over the world.

11.JHARKHAND- The traditional clothing for women in Jharkhand is saree and blouse. Females can be seen wearing colorful, designed and well-maintained sarees. Women who belong to high-class background can go for dazzling collections of saris with a number of styles. Tussar silk sarees are made in Jharkhand, known for their elegancy and unique look. Tribal women wear Parthan and Panchi. There are beautiful designed silk sarees with luserious touch and texture, traditional print and paintings showing the tribal lifestyle. Swarnareksha and Anjana silks are also becoming very popular in Jharkhand and other parts of India. Women are too much conscious about fashion, so they flaunt in innovative and trendy outfits.

12.BIHAR- Bihar women are very eager to preserve their folk costumes, which are their traditional costumes. The dress color and dresses designed in their traditional way. Generally, the married women wear the red colored powder which is called Sindoor at parting hair area. The women prefer to wear Tikli which is a beautiful ornament at the forehead. All the rural and urban areas women apply bindi on their foreheads. On the special occasions, women wear eye makeup called Surma. The Surma is very useful as antimony and improves the appeal of the eyes. Bihari rural women traditionally use the Tatoo paintings on their hands and other parts of the body. Applying the Mehendi designs on the hands of the women is a cultural activity in Bihar.

13.WEST BENGAL- The typical Bengali fashion for women can be seen in Saree (Sari). This is one of the topmost traditional and widespread dresses for ladies. Generally, the West Bengal sarees are designed by silk or cotton. Salwar Kameez has also become a common dress among girls. These are available in various designs and colors in the stress markets or shopping centers.

14.ASSAM- Almost every Assamese female can be found wearing Muga or Mekhela Chadar. In Assam you cannot ignore this simple yet sophisticatedly designed dress. Assamese dress is made by the use of Paat and Eri. Paat is used for creating Mekhela Chadar and the creation of Eri Chadar (which is clothing for winter especially shawl) is done using Eri. No doubt these Assamese costumes adorn the beauty of the women there.

15.MEGHALAYA- Weavers, the Garos are catering to various types of costumes. In rural areas, Garo villages, women cover eking, a cloth around their waist which is a short cloth. But when women have to go to the crowded areas, they wait longer attire. Garo women put on a blouse and a Lungi similar mantle known as Dakmanda. Dakmanda is a type of hand-woven cotton fabric. Traditional clothing is also very popular amongst Khasi women.

Muga silk of Assam is also well-known among women who love to war this clothing. Wearing dress without adornments of ornaments is common in parties and festivals. Another clothing strip made of woolen cloth known as Jainkup is mostly won by elder women. With Jainkup women also wear a headdress known as Kyrshah.

Wearing outfits without ornaments is known as lusterless for women. Most of them adorn earrings, necklace and other beautiful ornaments of silver and gold. Both Jayantis and Khasis women wear pure gold jewelleries and a popular pendant called as Kynjri Ksiar.

16.ARUNACHAL PRADESH- Accessories are compulsory for girls and women in most of the tribes in Arunachal Pradesh. The Monpa women beautify themselves with earrings, silver rings, bamboo-bits, red beads and attractive turquoises. There is another famous dress accessory is cap, adorned with a stunning peacock-feather. The outfit looks really astonishing and attracts others. The Hill Miris live in the Kamla valley and they wear dazzling costumes. Women also put on ‘crinoline of cane rings’ that looks really very beautiful.

The Sherdukpen reside in the southern region of Bomdila, resembling with the Buddhist community. Men in this community wear sleeveless material made of silk with 2 edges that are pinned property at the shoulder area. The clothing is usually knee-long. Its hallmark is the skull-caps smeared with the hair of yak. Sherdukpen women dress up in sleeveless and collarless garment. Over it, they wear a full-sleeved jacket with wait cloth known as mushaiks.

17.TRIPURA- In tribes like Khakloo, women cover themselves in a large piece of cloth called as Rinai. It is draped all across the waist till the knees. Women also put on a short size of cloth known as Risa. Most of the Risas are designed with gorgeous embroideries. Women can also be seen wearing headdresses at the work.

Coin strands and plethora of beads are used to beautify the neck of females. They wear a blue cotton fabric as well that looks like petticoat or skirt. When it comes to performing the dance, some extra clothing are worn by the women. Moreover, they wear beautiful jewelries in special occasions and festivals.

18.SIKKIM- The traditional costumes of Lepcha women called Dumvum or Dumdyam. It is ankle long costume and wears like a traditional sari. Many women throughout Sikkim are very fond of wearing this costume. Another loose fitted worn costume called Nyamrek. This seems very beautiful and attached with blouse. When the women wear the Nyamrek, they also wear Taro, belt, and headgear. During their traditional festival season, they wear the traditional and beautiful ornaments. They are Namchok and Gyar a type of bracelet. Another community is Bhutia, they hailed from Tibet and settle down in Sikkim. They settled all over Sikkim. They wear generally Bakhu or Kho costumes. These costumes are a silky loose blouse and a jacket which called Kushen.
Nepali women dresses are very beautiful and endowed with beautiful hues. Pharia is a common sari which worn by all Nepali women. The sari is in many vibrant colors and shades and enriches the beauty of the women.

19.NAGALAND- The Women of  Nagaland  wear Neikhro costumes, which designed with embroidery like a petticoat. The traditional costumes distinctive for its color and patterns.
Rhikho, another kind of costumes of Nagaland. The tribal men wear these type of dresses. The costumes are only worn by the men who are yet been able to offer a great feast or has never killed a big enemy. The cloth is in white color and four black colored bands attached to this cloth.

20.MANIPUR- The traditional dresses of women in Manipur consist of some major components such as Innaphi, Phanek, Mayek Naibi, Kanap Phanek. Innaphi is a typical Manipuri shawl worn by the women of Manipur. Phanek is a kind of hand woven wrap-around skirt quite similar to the very popular ‘Sarong’. Traditional wear Phanek comes in stripes and block colors. Daily wear phaneks are usually devoid of bold prints and floral prints. Apart from the daily wear Phanek, there are other types such as Mayek Naibi and Kanap Phanek. Mayek Naibi comes in bright colors and is adorned with attention drawing horizontal stripes. Women flaunt these gorgeous Phaneks to look mesmerizingly beautiful. Kanap phanek, a kind of skirt stitched out of the traditional Meithei Community cloth. Women also wear dresses such as Chin phi and Lai phi during rituals. Lai phi is a beautiful white piece of cloth bordered most intricately with yellow while Chin phi is a dress paired with an intricately embroidered phanek. Manipuri brides don’t forget to flaunt the muslin Innaphi woven out of delicate cotton yarns.

21.MIZORAM- Puran is the favorite dress to the Mizoram Women. They seem very beautiful and lively colors. Girls wear Puanchei costumes which enrich their beauty. During the festival seasons, women wear Pawl Kut and Chapchar Kut, which are the beautiful traditional costumes of Mizoram. The shades on the cloth are the combination of white and black colors. The black areas on the cloth covered with synthetic fur. Women wear this outfit for the special occasion such as marriage and on auspicious days. Another magnificent costume for women is “Kawrchei” blouse which woven with hand and uses the cotton material. This blouse is worn by the women which they are performing the Paunchei dance. Kawrchei is a magnificent blouse. It is made of cotton material and hands woven. The blouse is commonly worn with Paunchei while dancing. Before the advent of Machines these clothes were manually, but now these clothes are preparing by using the high-quality machines. These cloths are prepared with cotton and using various designs.

22.ODISHA- Women wear different types of saris to show their special look. Famous saris include Kataki Sari, Bomkai Sari and Sambalpuri Sari. These are adorned by females in Orissa during festivals, marriage, and other special events. Shalwar Kameez is also worn by the girls and women. They like to beautify themselves with a lot of jewelleries and ornaments. Both in urban and rural areas, you can find women in beautiful clothing.

23.TELENGANA- Telangana is the newest state of India which was earlier a part of Andhra Pradesh. In 2014 Telangana came into existence becoming twenty-ninth state of India. The tradition of people living in Telangana reflects from their clothing as well. Beautifully designed handloom made sarees have rich ethnicity and texture. Telangana is well known for the production of silk sarees. Adorned with ornate for weddings, parties and festivals, silk sarees are really very attractive. Decorated and brocaded with beautiful gold plating. Saree is one of the main dresses for women in Telangana.

24.ANDHRA PRADESH- Sarees made of handlooms are absolute with richness of texture and ethnicity. Dharmavaram, Anantapur of Andhra Pradesh is widely known for production and distribution of beautiful silk sarees. Dharmavaram sarees beautify ornate dresses for ceremonies like festivals, parties and wedding. They are brocaded and decorated with gold plating. Another popular saree is Gadwal saree which is made in Gadwal region of Andhra Pradesh.

The Ikkat saree was one of the first woven costumes of Nalgonda District. However, now its main manufacturing sites are Chautuppal, Pochampalli and Puttapaka villages. A complete knowledge is important for their designing purpose. It needs a weaving-pattern in which the yarn is randomly dyed in geometric or zigzag manners. Last but not the least category of sari is Mangalgiri sari made of fine cotton. All these types of sarees are not only popular in Andhra Pradesh and India, but all across the world as well.

25.TAMIL NADU- The women of Tamil Nadu decorate themselves in traditional sarees. The famous Tamil poetry Cilappatikaram (Silappadhikaram) portrays females in sari. The ageless charisma of these saris is the uniqueness of women. South Indian sarees with zari work reflect the traditions of Tamil Nadu. Kanchipuram sari is known for its exceptional style and famous all over the world. This is a formal dress for women which they wear in offices, temples, and even parties and marriages. Sarees form a specific place in the attires of Tamil Nadu. It is a traditional outfit for Indian women. Sarees are obtainable in a wide range of materials such as georgette, cotton, micro silk, chiffon, Pottola silk, crepe silk, silk and organza. Pavada or the half-sari is a traditional outfit that is mostly worn by the girls. The full-length skirt, davani (a kind of shawl) and blouses are put on. These days, the dress is substituted by salwar kurtas, trousers and jeans. The color, texture and style of a sari differ from silk and cotton. Kanchipuram silk saris are very popular and women generally wear them on significant occassions like religious ceremonies and wedding. The length of sari commonly ranges from five to six yards. These are commonly adorned by Brahmin females after getting married.

26.KERALA- Mundum Neriyathum is a traditional dress worn by women in Kerala. The traditional piece is Mund that is the lower cloth consisting 2 pieces of cloth. It is worn around hips and below the navel. It is a woven cloth this is completely made of pure cotton. Mund is very easy and comfortable to wear during summer. This is a white or creamy dress with colorful strips known as Kara or border. There is a special kind of blouse which is worn with Mundu covering the entire navel. The upper part of the garment is Neriyathu which is worn over the blouse. Its ends are instead inside the Mundu. It is worn like a sari in a diagonal manner. The dress worn everyday and during festive seasons women wear some extraordinary outfits with an ornamental Kara or a special type of border which is either golden, copper coated or artificial colored with peacock or temple design. During Onam, the popular festival of Kerala, women participate in a folk dance well-known as Kalkotti Kalli Dance. That moment they wear saris with lots of accessories such as jewelleries.

27.KARNATKA- Women in Karnataka wear their traditional dress of Saree. The sarees are weaved with cotton and silk fabric. As a result most of the Karnataka people prefer to wear silk sarees. In ancient times Karnataka region was famous for silk fabric. Still, we can find beautifully designed silk sarees in every place of Karnataka. Many traders and fashion designers visit Karnataka to buy high-quality silk fabrics. The varieties of brocades, sleek chiffons, and smooth silks are also available in Karnataka, these silk variety of sarees makes extra beauty to the women.

28.GOA- In Goa, Portuguese influence is evident in men's and even women's western wears. There are a number of different costumes that are worn by the people of Goa during different occasions. The main costume for the women of Goa is the 9-yard sari, which they complement with traditional jewelry. Pano bhaju is another important traditional costume of the women of Goa. The Koli fishermen of Goa, who wear colourful shirts and half pants, and a hat made of bark of the bamboo trees, make for a wonderful sight. There are costumes that help the contestants represent Goddesses and those of its followers. Most of the carnival costumes depend on the props and the sets that are setup on the vehicles. There are also the special long gowns that are specially designed to look extravagant, and shiny for the Carnival. These costumes are the special attractions of the carnival.

29.MAHARASTHRA- The 9 yard sari for women is known as Nauvari. It has a resemblance like trousers. There is no need to wear a slip or petticoat under this type of saree because of its specific pattern of draping. The Nauvari saree has its own history. During the rule of Maratha, females were delegated this sari. Its fabric is commonly cotton, for special events, silk tops the main list. There are Paithani sarees as well popular for their special style and look. The Brahmain women of Maharashtra put on sarees in a specific style in which the plates. They make use of choli along with the sari and blouses and polkas. There are some other exclusive outfits of Nasik, Malegaon and Pune in Maharashtra. Women adorn stunning jewelleries and flaunt them in a style. Popular jewelleries include nath (nose ring) and haar (necklace) with colorful stones and decorated pearl. Some of the stunning necklaces they put on are patlya, saaj, bangdya, tode and Kolhapur.

This is the different clothing of women of India across all 29 states.

I hope you all will like it!

Love!