Indian national costume
The national costumes of India are striking in their brilliance and brightness. They are incredibly beautiful and luxurious.
A bit of history
The Indians were engaged in the manufacture of clothing for a long time. Historical information that has come down to us from the 5th millennium BC in the form of cave paintings, objects found by archaeologists, suggests that even in those distant times the population of India could produce cotton fabric. Cotton was the best raw material, and clothing was comfortable and suited to the hot climate of the subtropics.
Social inequality manifested itself in the presence of varnas (estates). Belonging to a certain varna dictated all conditions of life. Each varna corresponded to its costume and the fabric from which it was made. Thus, the lower class did not have the right to wear clothes made from flax. Only priests (brahmans) and warriors (kshatriya) had this right. She wore silk and muslin clothes, often decorated with gold embroidery, natural fur — sable, ermine, beaver.
Indian costume was experiencing a huge impact from neighboring countries, the colonial invaders. The top caftan of the Indian kings was borrowed from the gentry (contush).
The development of trade routes had a positive effect on the development of Indian weaving. There are new dyes, fabrics. Roman merchants introduced indigo and China made silk.
Despite the enormous impact of external factors, India has managed to preserve its originality and not to dissolve in the culture of the peoples inhabiting its territory for many centuries.
Features
Colors and patterns
Color is of great importance in the clothes of India. Each color and pattern has its own secret meaning. For a European, Indian fabric is a riot of bright colors and motifs intertwined with each other. A resident of India will see much more in it than, for example, a floral or geometric motif.
One of the most common and most ancient ornaments is paisley (cucumber, buta). It is believed that it symbolizes the fiery flame, the embodiment of human life. Therefore, the ornament is widely used in the manufacture of wedding clothes.
India is a country where people of various confessions live. The population, professing Islam, prefers a floral ornament on the fabric. The most popular element is the lotus, the sacred flower, which is the personification of wisdom, harmony and creativity. It is believed that the lotus can fulfill the most intimate desires.
Pomegranate and mango fruits, cypress, palm, cloves are no less favorite plant patterns.
Very interesting geometric patterns on the fabric. Each of them has its own sacred meaning:
- A triangle with an upward point is a male symbol, designating fire.
- The triangle with a downward pointing - a female sign, symbolizes mercy, water.
- Circle - development and integrity. Together with the flame of fire - the birth.
- Octagon - protection.
- Square - a symbol of honesty, stability and your own home.
- The cross is the energy, the connection of heaven and earth.
Symbols of colors:
- Red is a holiday. Used in clothing for celebrations, weddings.
- Orange is a fiery color. In the clothes of the woman symbolizes loyalty, the warmth of the family hearth, in the men's - the rejection of all the benefits of everyday life.
- Yellow is the color of the gods. He was credited with the ability to purify the body and soul. Color is associated with harmony and thirst for knowledge.
- Green - peace.
- Blue - courage, the fight against evil.In some parts of India, only lower classes wear blue clothes, as it is the poor who were engaged in the manufacture of this coloring pigment.
- White - a symbol of peace and purity. This color is the result of mixing the entire spectrum, so it owns a part of each color component.
Fabrics
Cotton and silk are the main types of fabrics that are used by Indians.
In the northern parts of India, where the air is cool enough, cashmere is used. For its manufacture takes thin goat hair. Cashmere is very warm and thin material. Fabrics from sheep's wool go on tailoring of kaftans for men.
Cashmere shawls are decorated with gold and silver threads, embroidery.
In India, brocade is popular. Men's caftans and caps are sewn from it.
Kinds
Indian costume is an abundance of folds, smoothly flowing and forming beautiful draperies.
The most famous outfit is the sari. He is still in demand anywhere in the country. The length of the canvas for the formation of this type of clothing reaches 9 meters. A piece of cloth wraps around the waist and covers the woman’s shoulder. Under the sari worn a skirt and blouse.
Tunic and trousers trousers - the outfit of women in the north-western part of India, which is called the salwar kamiz. The film industry often uses this type of clothing in its films, as it combines both traditional and modern styles of clothing. Bollywood stars look great in shalvar kameez.
A long skirt with numerous pleats, a tight blouse with short sleeves and a low neckline is lehenga-choli (after the name of the components). This type of clothing is often worn by unmarried women.
Little girls in the southern provinces of India wear puttu-pawadi - a silk dress of conical shape with a golden stripe running along the bottom of the product.
The traditional men's clothing includes a long jacket (shervani), a shirt to the knee length of a free cut (kurt), and trousers that fit around the ankles (churidar).
Accessories and decorations
Jewelry is an integral part of the Indian costume. There is a characteristic feature that makes Indian jewelry recognizable throughout the world. They are symmetrical, despite the seeming at first glance, the spread of the ornament, multi-colored stones and paints.
Women wear strands of jewelry on their heads, descending as a pendant on their foreheads: shringar-patti, teak.
For the bride has its own decorations. Nat - a ring in the nose. Chain of stones attached to the ear.
Bracelets worn by Indian married women are called churi. For their manufacture used ivory, corals, glass, precious metals. The number of bracelets on one hand reaches 24.
Jewelry on the neck are called haar. Indians believe that they bring good luck, retain love, protect from the evil eye.
Brides adorn their legs with rings and bracelets.
Footwear
Traditional Indians shoes are sandals (chappals) or leather shoes. Representatives of higher caste wore shoes with colored heels.
The poor for the manufacture of shoes as a raw material used reed and bark of trees.
Female
Sari and choli - a traditional female costume. Despite the influence of the Greeks, Persians and Mongols, this type of clothing has not undergone any obvious changes and is now popular in India. The colors of the sari are very bright and saturated.
Male
Men's costume consists of a loincloth (dhoti), a shirt and a cape. Representatives of the highest Varna had the right to wear the sacred cord - three threads that girdled the back and chest over the left shoulder.
Raja’s robe was luxurious: silk richly decorated with gold and precious stones.
The dress of the warrior was not distinguished by pomp and beauty: a long shirt with a red trim and turbans. Warlords decorated their clothes with silver ornaments.
Traditional costume in the modern world
The latest trends and trends of the fashion world could not affect the costume of a resident of India today.On the streets of cities you can meet women in traditional clothes and jeans and top.
The style of modernity combines tradition and innovation. This is manifested in the use of a variety of fabrics and mixing elements of clothing: a turban fits perfectly into a business man's suit, jeans are combined with a kurt, and dhoti with sneakers.
At the moment, interest in Indian dances. Many women are seriously addicted to such activities. Diving into the world of music is helped by appropriate costumes.
For the classical Indian dance Mohiniatta need: clothes of white color, trimmed with gold and red border; corrugated skirt; ornaments in the form of a flower garland or golden beads.
For Bollywood style suits are required bright and colorful. At the same time they should have the same length and shape. The soloist is somewhat different from the total mass, being some exception.
