Indian Customes

India has a rich and varied Costume. Traditional costumes in India vary widely depending on the climate and natural fibers grown in a region. Usually the clothes are suitable for the particular regions climate and overall comfort. In the cold northern state of Jammu and Kashmir, people wear a thick loose shirt called a phiran to keep them warm. In the tropical warmth of south India, men wear a sarong like garment called the mundu, while women drape 5 meters of cloth around their bodies in the graceful folds of the saree, the national dress of Indian women. , where each region has its own unique native costume and traditional attire. Indian costume is popular for its colorfulness and grace. The uniqueness of Indian culture lies in it.

 Dhoti, a cloth-piece covering the lower part of the body from the waist, is a kind of traditional drapery, bearing the signature of the heritage of Indian costumes. This single piece of rectangular stitchless cloth , measuring about 5 yards in length, can give a man an air of elegance, inherent to his culture.Dhoti is known by different names in various languages. Punjabis call it Laacha , Malayalamis , the Mundu , Bengalis, the Dhuti , The Tamilians, refer it as Vaetti, people of Telegu, the Pancha, Marathis, the Dhotar and those of Kannada , pronounce it as Panche.

This page on Indian Costume provide you with an elaborate information on the etymology of the word Uttariya and its uses.Uttariya is a piece of cloth used in ancient India to cover the upper part of the body. It used to hang from the neck to drape over the arms. The uttariya was worn in several ways to suit the comforts of the wearer: very elegantly by those at court, who drape it on both shoulders or one shoulder, or diagonally across the chest and casually knotted at the waist, or it could even be worn loosely across the back and supported by the elbows or wrist, and in many other ways according to the whims of the weather.

India has been known to have wonderful dresses and costumes.In the state of Maharashtra, the traditional costume sari is nine yard long. The sari measuring nine-yards in length, and is thus known as Nauvari. The halo of history round the Nauvari sari, stresses on the ethnic value of the costume. It is said, that women, living in Maratha Empire, had demonstrated their caliber. In crucial times of war, they used to assist their fellow male warriors. That was why, in order to become accomplished in their mission, these valorous Indian women, invented this characteristic Maharashtrian style of dressing in a sari. Nauvari Sari is one of the important indian costume popular among the women.