Ancient Indian Dressing Customs and their Changes over time

Indian culture and dressing customs are influenced by different countries and had changed overtime. Here is a brief timeline of those changes.

1. Ancient Indian Fashion B.S.Vamsi Gupta -16BEC1229 M.Sai Venkat - 16BEC1294 Under the Guidance of Dr.Rajasekharan for the Course of IHC

2. Introduction It is Described as ‘Harmonious Co-Existence of a wide Variety of Layered Chaos. The Clothing diversity of India has its roots in our Geography & History

3. Different Styles

4. Changes and Cause of it South Invasions are due to Seafarers, traders from Roman , Arab , Portuguese ,French ,Dutch ,British etc. In North Indo Aryans Persians Indo Greeks Parthian Sakas Kushans Huns Turks Mughals . Migrations from Tibet Burma, china Restricted by the Himalayan ranges in the east and the Vindhyas in south

5. A brief overview of religion through time Semitropical climates , clothes were not essential to survive Hence, Indian Clothing tended to become a religious , cultural and tribal identity .

6. DNA of our Clothing in time The DNA of our clothing in time Diversity brought in by History Of the Indian Subcontinent Indus valley civilization -- 5300 years back -- Evidences but no Documentation Epic or the Vedic age -- 3500 years back -- No Evidences no Documentation Maurya Greeks -- 2300 years back Kushans Partho-Synthians -- 2100 years back Guptas -- 1800 years back Islam --500 years back

7. Indus Valley Civilization 5300 Years back

8. Indus Valley civilization 3300 BCE to 1300 BCE No caste system. Priest king is believed to have ruled along side bureaucracy.  Its spread was Pakistan, Afghanistan and parts of India. Integral component of the Bronze Age world economy in terms of trade relation Evidences but no Documentation

9. Clothing Rudimentary Stitching Nudity Acceptable Body adorned with beads, jewels

10. Some other info

11. Evidences

12. Vedic period 3500 Years back

13. Socio cultural Vedic period 1500 to 500 BC  Probably around the 800 BC, the Aryans thrust eastwards along the gangetic plains removed the centre of gravity of conquered lands from the Punjab to Daob There were no kingdoms. By late Vedic period Janapada (land) gained importance and kingdoms ( mahajanapadas ) were formed Birth of Caste system Hinduism Sanskrit Upanishads Vedas Ramayana and Mahabharata

14. clothing Leave the loom, ready for wear . Early Indian did not use any sewn garments Sewing was considered inauspicious Upper body not covered by both male and females

15. Functional form The first form of clothing happened as a form of protection for the males and as a chastity belt Functional form of clothing Clothes that traveled to us Loin clothes: Kaupina is a distinctly Indian form of clothing from ancient times. It is a loin cloth passed between the legs and held by a string at the waist, just enough to cover the private parts. The remainder of the cloth acts as a throw or apron 

16. Religious The religious significance of sewing being inauspicious is observed yet, during puja ceremonies The puja performer wears an unstitched garment. These names have early mentions in the Vedic texts

17. Present day style

18. Some Other info

19. Mauryan and Greek period 2300 years back

20. Kingdom Persian and Greek invasion Around the 5th century BC, north-western parts of India faced invasion by the Achaemenid Empire and the Greeks of Alexander's army. Persian way of thinking, administration and lifestyle came to India. This influence became bigger during the Mauryan dynasty.

21. Clothing Clothing Men and women continued to wear three unstitched garments, as in Vedic times. Antariya in kaccha style, uttariya across the head or casually draped on the shoulders , kayabandh or the girdle The cloth became finer with the increase in status of the person adorning it. . Cotton continued to be used as the traditional textile , And silk (called Cinamsuka ) was imported from China along the Silk Route The Birth of the Ghagra noticed in some parts kayabandh antariya uttariya Mauli / turban

22. clothing   As seen the stitched garments were adopted by the common man. The ruling class, the god and goddesses continued to be depicted in nude  The royal ladies in the frescoes...displayed their breasts. The ladies in waiting wear...a firm 'breast bandage' or sthanapatiya  

23. clothing The skirt, bhairnivasani , evolved from the antariya which when stitched on one side became tabular and was worn gathered together at the waist, and held by a girdle. This was one of the earliest forms of a clumsily stitched skirt Later evolved into a “ ghagri ” with the nada replacing the girdle The bhairnivasani was first used by the Jain and Buddhist nuns, and arose from the idea that a woman’s body was sinful and had to be covered 

24. Clothing A stitched shirt-like foreign garment called the kancuka was frequently used by attendants , grooms, guards and so on in the king’s court

25. clothing KANCHUKA This is a close fitting garment covering the upper body. Armor is also a form of Kanchuka .

26. clothing

27. silhouettes

28. Other info

29. Socio-cultural influences For many centuries before Indians had moved around self consciously nude above waist . There were probably two reasons for the One was that the female attendants in the King’s court thrown into the company of beautiful foreigners who wore upper garments, must have realized that covering the bosom could even be more attractive than exposing it, and accordingly emulated the dress style of the foreigners. Also, with the impact of Buddhism, Jainsm , and Christianity the belief that the body was sinful and must be concealed to avoid temptation was percolating through India, In medieval Europe, around this time, similar changes were occurring in female clothing, and women began covering themselves from head to foot.

30. Foreigners influence A description of Persian costume of 500 BC. coat that was open down the front, had a fitted waist, and long tight sleeves sewn into the armholes. At first it was knee-length, later calf length. 

31. Some other influences

32. Kushan dynasty the parto-synthinasa 2100 years back

33. Kingdom and trading placees

34. overview

35. Materials used

36. clothing The dress was worn by most of Scythian and Iranian races and resembled particularly that of the Parthians It consisted of a ruched long-sleeves tunic with a slit for the neck opening , simple or elaborately decorated. The close-fitting knee-length tunic was sometimes made of leather, and with it could be worn a short cloak or a calf-length woolen coat or caftan , worn loose or crossed over from right to left and secured by a belt of leather or metal. External influence…. Stitched clothes.. 2100 years back Kaniska (from the warrior class) is depicted wearing a Iranian tunic, Scythian Cap and a nomadic horseman's heavy boots The Kushan dress had evolved from a nomad culture based on the use of the horse

37. clothing Kansika (from the warrior class) is depicted wearing a Iranian tunic,Scythian Cap and a nomadic horsemen’s heavy booys T he kushans dress had evolved from a nomad culture based on the use of horse

38. First evidence of a single drape the sari

39. At Gandhara there are figures wearing a sari-like garment which seems to have evolved from palmyrene (Graeco-Roman) or pure Roman dress. This is the palla (draped over garment worn over a long gown with ruched sleeves, which was typical of the Roman matron) pinned at the left shoulder. The difference in some of the Gandhara female figures is that they wear, in addition, an antariya , which is extended in length. This long antariya is worn in the kachcha style but one end continues over the left shoulder and is broached there like the palla . 

40. Foreign influences The total ensemble looks very much like the Deccani sari of today The wearing of an uttariya with the sari is still seen in the fisher-folk of Maharashtra. It is worn in the kacha style like the ancient antariya

41. Migrants who settled in india parsis and scythians The Indo-Scythians are a branch of the Indo-Iranian Sakas (Scythians), who migrated into parts of Western and Central India, Gujarat and Rajasthan, from the middle of the 2nd century BCE to the 4th century CE . The agrarian and artisan communities (e.g. Jats , Gujars , Ahirs , Rajputs , Lohars , Tarkhans etc .) of the entire west are derived from the war-like Scythians who settled north-western These migrants brought with them new silhouettes, textures and materials that makes the present day scenario of northwest India so colourful and Vibrant.

42. Migrants who settled in india parsis and scythians Parsis are descended from Persian Zoroastrians who emigrated to the Indian subcontinent ancient Persian rulers Modern Mumbai Parsi Family in traditional attire . The immigrants were granted permission to stay by the local ruler Jadi Rana on the condition that they adopt the local language (Gujarati), that their women adopt local dress (the sari ) The parsi cap: Clothing as means of preserving identity as in case of Parsees

43. The Gupta dynasty 1800 years back

44. Kingdom As traditional Hindu monarchs, the Gupta s were strong supporters of vedic religious beliefs and rituals. Hinduism had reached its peak Manu Smriti dictated a rigid class system And Buddhism declined Down south commerce was at its height with south east countries and spreading indian textiles and art. 

45. From kaccha to lungi style

46. Village women This is Interesting as it shows the angharakha worn wit h trousers instead of the ghagri or lehenga. May be the trouser suited more in terms of protection aginst the climate and was similar to the garments of the foreigners ,therefore adopted

47. Mens clothing Men from the north and the west ( Gujarat,Uttar Pradesh,Madhya Pradesh)who are traditional dhoti wearers are shifting to lungi when at home as it’s a easier drape.

48. Sari drape change The antariya was occasionally worn like the Indonesian sarong- a wide garment reaching from under the armpits to mid-thigh in a simple wraparound Clothing. The main difference in the Gupta period, as distinct from the previous periods, is that the kachcha style became less popular with women, being replaced gradually by the more feminine lehnga or lungi was we call it today, although the queen and other ladies of the royal family remained conservative . This conservative kachcha style is still adopted by the women of Maharashtra and South India. 

49. clothing Many forms of cut-and-sewn garments became fashionable, especially at court. By now clearly defined the costumes of north and south India. In northern India where climatic conditions were more suitable there was greater emphasis on the stitched garments, but in the south, as is apparent even today, the indigenous antariya , uttariya and kayabandh held their own.

50. External influence..stitched clothes Clothing of the female: The apron-like attachment at the front of the blouse, visible in some of the frescoes. could have evolved from the need for protection against the cold for the front part of the body, or as a modesty covering over the stomach which was exposed, the skirt being worn below the navel

51. The Mughal dynasty 500 years back

52. Kings of Mughal dynasty

53. kingdom Mughal Empire was an Islamic imperial power which ruled most of the Indian subcontinent from the early 16th to the mid-19th centuries. The classic period of the Empire starts with the accession of Jalaluddin Mohammad, better known as Akbar the Great, in 1556 . The Mughal Empire survived until 1857, but its rulers were, after 1803, pensioners of the East India Company.

54. overview Exposure to a wide variety of apparel for more than a decade resulted and assumed numerous regional variations, from the nomad garments of central Asia into the refined costume of the Mughals- in the instance of one type of garment, that evolved into the comfortable and relaxed dress of the common man – Kurta Pyjama Kaba Kurtak

55. Materials and instruments

56. info Influences: Interestingly, each emperor maintained his own contemporary style of dressing in court and otherwise The initial influence was restricted to the court, nobility and the upper class. Purdah, nose rings and the salwar kameez established themselves in this period Socio- Cultral Impact: A new sartorial morality stuck root - the purpose of clothing moved from protection and ornamentation to “rules of behavior” for men and women : Veils, turbans etc acquired cultural and societal connotations.

57. babar Babar who was brought up in the cooler climate of Turkistan, retained the costumes of his homeland; the most popular garments in his period were ‘ chafan ’ (long coat) and ‘ postin ’ (sheep skin coat). Perhaps he wore them for traditional rather than practical reasons.

58. Main attire of babar

59. humayun Humayun introduced Persian elements in the costumes . He was notorious for seeking the help of planetary movements (every day) in choosing what to wear. He also maintained a special treasure house in his palace to accommodate textiles and garments

60. akbar Akbar took the initiative of introducing local textiles, which were best suited to the hot climate of the region Akbar also developed a vocabulary of clothing and textile. Some new terms were introduced; jama was renamed ‘ sarbgati ’ meaning, that which covers the entire body, ‘ izar ’ (drawers) was renamed ‘ yar pirahan ’ meaning ‘companion of the coat’, ‘burqa’ and ‘hijab’ (over garment covering the body and face) were named ‘ hitragupta ’ (Sanskrit word) meaning ‘that which hides the face’ and ‘shawl’ took the name ‘ paramnarm ’ meaning ‘extremely soft’.

61. Muslims vs hindus Mughals neither lost their identity nor conquered the country culturally Mughal expansion was a process of evolution rather than imposition. Because Hinduism had penetrated so deeply the foreigners were considered mleecha (impure) .hostile. Large number of Hindu converts felt no need to change their fashions. Though after the initial clash followed fusion, with the citizens adopting part of the mughal culture and fashion 500 years back

62. Muslims vs Hindus Marking features introduced to differentiate Hindus from the Muslims even though they were wearing the same kind of clothes. The emperor Akbar was smart enough in maintaining the freedom and religious identity as the Hindu Chakdar Jama was fastened on the left side of the body and Muslims fastened it on the right side.

63. Akbars contribution He himself took interest in the Clothing of court dresses and introduced the ‘ Chakdar jama ’ to his court, which is a cross over tunic, with slits around the skirt and an asymmetrical hemline. Although it was in Clothing in India since medieval times, Akbar restyled the garment and developed it into a formal gown by removing slits, rounding the hemline and increasing the fullness of the skirt

64. Social adoptions The development of the Purdah system many Hindu nobles were asked their daughter in marriage to Muslim sultans against their practices. consequently they responded to the pressure by adopting ‘ purdah’to keep gaze at bay and early child marriages. The intermarriages that happened lead to the introduction of their dress styles

65. Social adoptions The Amirs and the Maliks and other officers at the Sultanate courts are described as wearing & quot;gowns ( tatailyat ), jakalwat and Islamic qabas of Khawarizm tucked in the middle of the body&quot and short turbans which did not exceed five or six forearms. Of other Amirs we learn that they were as well dressed as the soldiers except that they did not use belts and at times they let down a piece of cloth in front of them after the manner of the sups. The judges and the learned men wore ample gowns ( farajiyat ) that resembled jaradiyat (striped material from jand , Yemen) and an Arabic garment (durra) (a garment opening in front and buttoned ) 

66. Some pictures

67. Foreign attires

68. ornaments

69. Functional adoptions In the punjab region, people moved from wearing lungis to pajamas. Pajamas are worn in Punjab by both Hindus and the Muslims. 

70. Adopotions from other cultures

71. Punjab mens shirt (from persia )

72. Mens jacket

73. Punjab’s cashmere(from Turkestan)

74. Angarakha (from Bahawalpur)

75. Modern indian attire at a glance

76. kashmir Functional adoption of clothing from central Asia Influenced by the Hindus, Buddhists, Muslims and bearing a clear stamp of the Afghan and central Asian contributions. Due to the climatic extremities salwar is the common dress for both Hindus and the Muslims Veil not present

77. Himachal pradesh Dress evolve out of necessity Dress evolves out of necessity owning to extreme climate - the total ensemble consists of a loose chola reaching from the neck to the ankle, this is worn over a trouser. The male attire consists of a tight trouser, jamah and a cap.

78. punjab Punjabis in India have mainly Indo-Aryan and Indo-Scythian origin. Their indigenous garment was the lungi though they adopted the salwar for functional purposes. Influences from the neighboring areas like Kashmir

79. gujarat Gujarat West and south west of Rajasthan ghaghra is mostly confined to peasants and the saurastra region further south people wear sari, the ghagra retains its use as an undergarment, as is the proved by the fact that even as a petticoat the underwear ghaghra is embellished , being reminiscent of the original practice of having the latter as the principal wear. Males dress is composed of a pagri breeches and short kurta

80. maharastra Maharastra the dividing line of north and the south From here we find minimum external influences on clothing owning to geographical limitations. Further south the sari is the primary attire of the female and lungi or Mundu for the males.

81. Different styles of sari drape

82. kerala

83. Andhra pradesh

84. karnataka

85. tamilnadu

86. Orissa and east

87. The journey From here we would understand the Mutations that happened in the Indian fashion journey. . The change of aspirations.. from the Europeans (British) to the American.. To our very own Bollywood, and television

88. conclusion Within these broad clothing preferences , each community tried to differentiate from others by bringing in small changes in drapes, or wearing a particular jewelry, use of color etc to Identify themselves. So till now Indian clothing had functional (protection & adornment), socio-cultural (social Structure, values, Sacred ) roots to itself which has become an Identity of the people Communities use clothing and external symbols to preserve their identities among the mass : as indicators of social status, marital status, origin, wealth, religion

89. forces

90. Thank you