When we hear Rajasthan, the first two things that come into our mind are sand and “Khamma Ghani.” But the state is so much more than that. From colourful clothing, mirror work, and pagadi, to clay artefacts and other astonishing things. The people are very hostile and friendly which makes the state a good tourist attraction. But what’s even better is their dressing sense. The countless colours and simple yet elegant patterns are just amazing. These traditional dresses of Rajasthan signify a connection with their land and culture. In this blog, we’ll discover what is the traditional dress of Rajasthan for men and women in detail.
Let’s dive in to explore,
Colors of Rajasthan
Rajasthan is known as the Land of Kings. It has vibrant colours that reflect its rich culture and traditions. You can witness these colours in nature, dresses, artefacts and many other things. The lively golden sands of the Thar deserts to the bright blue houses of Jodhpur tell every tale of the royal Rajasthan. People here wore different traditional dress of Rajasthan on special festivities like Teej, Gangaur, and Weddings.
Traditional Dress of Rajasthan for Men
1. Colorful Turban (Pagri)
Turban or Pagri is a crucial part of the traditional dress of Rajasthan for men. It is a symbol of social and one’s economic status. It also signifies the occasion and one’s individuality with colour, cloth, design and shape. Pagri has a width of 8 inches and a length of about 80 feet.
Common people wear a simple pagri, however, royal people wear designer or multicoloured pagri during special occasions.
Even in Rajasthan, the shape and size of Pagri varies a lot. For instance, Udaipur Pagris are circular and flat, in Jodhpur men wear safa with a curve at the top, and in Jaipur men wear an angular Pagri.
2. Dhoti/Pyjamas
Dhotis or pyjamas are worn to cover the lower part of the body. The dhotis are a long, white piece of cloth. It is wrapped around the waist and in between the legs. On a daily basisi, people wear cotton dhotis. For special occasions, people prefer wearing a silk dhoti with zari embroidery. People also prefer wearing pyjamas to cover their lower body as wearing a dhoti is a skill and needs practice.
3. Angrakha
The dress worn to cover the upper body is called an Angrakha. This is made of cotton or other soft fabric. An Angrakha looks like a long frock and is long up to knee length. You can find a printer or embroidery Angrakhas.
Traditional Dress of Rajasthan for Women
1. Ghaghara & Choli
Ghaghara is a long skirt with a narrow waist and a flared base. This reaches above the ankles. It is worn to cover the lower portion of the body. It is up to ankle length to make foot ornaments visible. They are available in different colours, prints, and patterns.
Ghagharas have a good flare because they have several pleats stitched together. These have similar laharia prints as found in Pagaris. You can also find them with prints known as Mothra and Chunari.
Women also prefer wearing short kurtas, also known as Choli. It is a blouse worn to cover the upper body and paired with the Ghaghara. These are made of cotton or silk and worn as per the occasion. These Cholis cover up to the waist. The length of the cholis also depends upon the caste, religion and age of the women.
2. Odhni
Odhni is also known as Chunari in other states. It is worn over the blouse. One side of the Odhni is tucked into the skirt. However, the other end is either on the head or at the side of the shoulder. It is around 2.5 to 3 meters long and 1.5 to 2 meters wide. It is printed in different colours and designs, depending on different religions, castes and tribes. In some regions of Rajasthan, Odhni is wearing a veil to show respect to family elders. Ghaghara, Choli, and Odhni are worn together by women as a traditional dress of Rajasthan.
Jewellery to Wear with Traditional Dress of Rajasthan
Rajasthanis have very classy and luxe choices when it comes to ornaments and jewellery. Even the royal family of Rajasthan have some peculiar heirloom pieces made of precious and semi-precious gemstones.
However, for common people, the semi-precious stones have studded trinkets. Even men also wear ear studs and neckpieces. They also have chains made of gold and pearl which are common among the rich. They also wore a silver hansli, which is a big round bracelet around the neck.
On the other hand, women wear jewellery on every body part. For instance, ‘jhumkas‘ in their ears, colourful bangles on wrists, long and short neckpieces, large anklets, rings on fingers, nosering, and a few other beautiful pieces. The designs or patterns are inspired by nature like the sun, moon, leaves, and flowers.
Footwear to Wear with Traditional Dress of Rajasthan
Both men and women wear shoes called Mojaris or Jootis with their traditional dress of Rajasthan. These Mojaris or Jootis are made of animal skin and often embellished with embroidery on velvet or brocade. These footwears are popular in cities like Jaipur, Ajmer, Jodhpur, Udaipur, and Jaisalmer.
Popular Rajasthani Textiles
Some of the popular prints of a variety of prints and textiles are Bagru print, Sanganeri print, Leheriya (tie-dye), Bandhani (tie-dye), Barmeri print and Kota Doria. You cannot get enough of these vibrant and colourful-looking traditional dresses of Rajasthan.
Know more about traditional dress of jharkhand here.
Wrapping Up
Having these beautiful dresses can bring a lot of uniqueness and vibrancy to your wardrobe. Rajasthan is really a stretch of sand and rich history and culture. And its traditional dress is stunning to suit every occasion and festivities. Rajasthani couture is classic, elegant and one-of-a-kind.
