 Most Indians wear
traditional attire. In the recent years the youngsters in metropolitan cities have taken
to western clothing. Still by and large, in the rest of the country and among the older
generation, Indian clothing is very much the daily attire.
The best known Indian clothing is the 'sari' worn by women all over the country in
it's various adaptations in different regions of the country. The 'salwar kameez'
is a dress of the north as is the 'churidar kurta'. The latter is also worn by men.
In Gujarat and Rajasthan women wear brightly mirrored skirts called 'ghagras'. Here
also, you will find the colourful tie-dye materials. In the north-east, the women wear
superbly picturesque Tibetan costumes. The sarong-like 'lungi' is worn by both men
as well as women in the south. The traditional Muslim women can still be seen wearing the
all-enveloping tent-like 'burkha'. Unlike their women, the Indian men wear quite
conventional western clothing especially in the cities. Here one will find men clad in the
regular pant and shirt. In the north, the most popular dress for men is the 'kurta
pyjama'. The 'pathan suit', very similar to the salwar kameez is worn by men in
the north. In the south apart from the lungi mentioned earlier, one sees the 'dhoti'.
The dhoti is like a longer lungi but with a length of material pulled up between the legs.
The 'achkan' which is long collarless jacket is used for occasional wear all over
the country though seen more in the north. The 'safa' is a turban made from a
single, colourful strip of cloth and is originally from Rajasthan.
The 'Gandhi Topi' is worn mostly by Maharashtrian men. The most prominent headgear
you will see is probably the 'turban' of the 'sardars' or the Sikh men.
Traditional Indian women keep their head covered at all times. In the north they use a 'dupatta'
usually made from a flimsy fabric. Others use the end of their sari. In the north-east,
they wear high top hats. The conventional footwear of the Indians also varies. The typical
'juttis' and 'mojris' are very comfortable. Also very popular are the
'Kolhapuri chappals', a type of slippers originally made in a small town in Maharashtra.
|
|
