Whenever we hear the name “Rajasthan,” the picture we perceive in our mind is of yellow sand, turbans, architecture, palaces, vibrant attires, and whatnot. Everything that Rajasthani adorn their body with has enormous significance. The rich heritage culture of Rajasthan has colourful clothing, heavy jewellery, and dresses that define their identity in their region’s social and economic classes. Let’s explore the different Rajasthani dresses inspired their culture and tradition.
Traditional Rajasthani Dresses for Men
Pagri
Rajasthani’s wear Pagri, also known as Turban, everyday, be it a regular day or any occasion. It is one of the most important attire for men, which they mix and match with every outfit they wear daily. The colour quality, fabric, design, everything differs depending on the occasion, their social status, work, and more. Some people wore pagri during festivals and events as a special element of their attire.
Rajasthani men take pride and honour in wearing a Pagri. Wearing a Pagri is a tradition followed by Rajput rulers that symbolises honour and defines their royal status. The pagri’s colour, clothing, design, and shape symbolise the year’s worth of tradition and individuality. The width of the Pagri is 8 inches, and the length is about 8 feet. The interesting part is that the shape and size of the Pagris vary from region to region, i.e., the pagris of Udaipur are flat; in Jodhpur, men wear Safa, which has a curved bend, whereas, in Jaipur, people wear an angular Pagri.
Angrakha
The Rajasthani style kurta is popular with the name ‘Angrakha.’ There are two common styles of Angrakha. One is the long angrakha that comes without flare and ends up to the knee length. The other type of angrakha has flare from the waist; it is known as ‘kamari angrakha.’
Dhoti/Pajamas
The traditional attire of Rajasthani men included wearing dhoti or pyjamas. They wear white cotton dhotis regularly and colourful silk ones for special occasions. Considering the hot summer days of Rajasthan, these loose types of clothing are very comfortable.
Traditional Rajasthani Dresses for Women
Ghaghara and Choli
Ghaghara is a long skirt with a narrow waist and broad base paired with choli worn by Rajasthani women daily. Rajasthani style skirt is of ankle length providing visibility of the foot ornaments. Ghaghra is available in different prints, colours, ornaments and more. These also differ according to the occasions and festivities.
The blouses and short kurtis worn by Rajasthani women are known as choli’s, made with cotton and silk. The design and size of the choli can be different. These blouses are also known as Kanchlis. They are available in different fabrics such as cotton and silk, embellished with stones, embroidery, mirror work, beads, sequins, and more.
You’ll find some of the most beautiful and colourful prints of all time in Rajasthani dresses worn by women. Prints such as Bagru Print, Sanganeri Print, Barmeri Print, Kota Doria, Bandhani Print (Bandhej), Tie and dye are popular in Rajasthan. If you are travelling to Rajasthan, take a workshop with local artisans and try making a personalised hand-made tie and dye dupatta.
Odhni
Odhni is similar to the dupatta worn over the blouse style, with one tucked into the skirt and the other lying on the head or shoulders. Women style their odhni in many ways as it’s very long. Odhni are available in different designs and patterns embellished with stones. In earlier days in Rajasthan, wearing odhni to cover the face was a mandatory practice and considered an act of respect in front of the elders.
Rajasthani Footwear
The stylish and comfortable footwear worn by Rajasthanis over the generations is Mojaris or Juttis. These juttis can be paired with almost every outfit, be it regular or festive dresses, as they are available in different patterns and designs, embellished with stones, velvet or brocade or embroidery. If you are keen on buying a pair of juttis, shop in the local market or, better yet, learn the intricate art of making juttis in a workshop by Rajasthan Studio.
Conclusion
Rajasthani dresses are eccentric and allows you to showcase the deep-rooted history and indulge in different things. There is a lot of uniqueness and vibrancy that you can find in Rajasthan’s fashion. Rajasthani art and fashion are so classic that they allow people to express themselves the best.
