Lecture 23

Added: 2026-05-09

[00:00:20]Good day dear learners. I welcome you in this new session in which I'll be talking about clothes. Now in this session I've categorized into different categories in which I'll be dealing with clothes which are traditional, the textile arts, the religious costumes, the ethnic uh clothes and the skills required to make those um traditional clothes and ethnic uh um outfits. So to begin with the overview what you will uh by the end of the session you will be able to understand how historically the whole evolution of clothing uh took place especially in ancient and medieval India. Then explore how traditional attire it reflects our Indian cultural values and regional diversity. And lastly you'll be also able to uh learn about India's rich textile heritage and traditional craftsmanship uh techniques.

[00:01:12]So the skills set what the skills are required in order to um harness such a huge variety of this um the textile cultural textiles in our country that will be dealing by the end of this session. Okay. So let's begin. So if you look at the historical um evolution of clothing in ancient India, we have to understand that history where do we get the information from? Right? So basically the the excavation process that took place the archaeologist when they uncovered the Indust Valley civilization they did find some very peculiar kind of um artifacts which signified how the sewing was the very popular kind of um profession that was followed at that time. So clothes were suited at that time and there was also evidence of some needles, some spindles like you can see in this image, spindles and weaving activities that was um uncovered at the Harapan site and a variety of unstitched garments can also be observed. When they excavated, they found unstitched garments also. And men have been depicted wearing an unstitch uh lower garment or the loin cloth.

[00:02:21]While the females and the women at that time they they wore um short skirts or a closely closed fit tunics at that time.

[00:02:32]Now before I start um you know explaining about the different period and the kind of clothes that were you know manifested in those period we have to understand where are we getting all that information from. So you see history is being told to us through this different uh monuments through the sculptures through paintings we have uncovered this mystery of several mystery in fact and one of the mystery is like the evidence of clothing in during that period. So if you go to the vic period the rigida it mentions two kind of garments vasa that is the upper garment and adiwasa that is the lower garment and then there was also mention of ni which is an undergarment. So gradually other clothes such as atkal uh it is like a a woven well- fitted garment drapey uh it is a mantle or a cloak or a pisas is an embroidered garment which was also commonly worn by the female dancers during the vic period and it's also mentioned in the vic text at that time. Now if you come to the uh the morian period here we find that the different sculptures through that we deciphering what kind of clothes they wore at that time. So the art shashtra of um um the kotalia uh mentions the thread thread meaning sutras right and the coats that is the warm or the cloth that is vastra and ropes that is the raju right all that way manufactured by the weaving um you can say departments of that time and even in that time people wore cotton clothes muslin garments and the upper and the upper garment was usually thrown over the shoulders and partly twisted around the waist you know that giving that look of a it's a wraparound you know while the lower garment it hung down um to the knees now you can see even in the sculptures here like how the it is being depicted right now coming to the Gupta period now as the time is progressing you find that the textile is becoming all the more richer and um the stitch garment they started becoming very widely ly used stitch and now you can say the modification that was done in that stitching process. So men started wearing dhi of the loin cloth and sometimes they covered their upper body with a coat or a tunic that reached up to their knees and there are different paintings in the um even in the Ajanta um the caves of Ajanta in Maharashtra and B and Madhya Pradesh which shows a variety of costume that was worn by different people of different professions and uh and the at different even status they of that people the was reflected through their clothes.

[00:05:17]So even like if you see a like during that time you see a prince riding a horse he was wearing a full sleeve tunic uh a short dohi with a kamarband and the nobles also wore something known as uh kuka right it's a tunic like garments and babhana which is probably a half sleeve padded uh coat that was all uncovered through the different you can say paintings the case paintings that were during that particular time Now having said that now we have to understand how clothes is basically reflecting our Indian values and why is it so important to us. So remember in the last lecture when I talked about food just how the geographical variation in our country produce such huge variety of uh uh cuisines right similarly in that sense the geographical condition of our country also provides a different variety even in the clothes section. So clo is what it is basically mirroring the country's cultural ethos its values the traditional and identity and especially in Indian context it is reflecting uni unity in diversity because of such diverse cultures right so from a simple cotton garment you can see to the silk worn during the festival every piece of cloth is it basically embodying it is embodying modesty it is embodying respect it is onboarding your identity spirituality harmony among within the whole community in harmony within the nature as well.

[00:06:49]So clothing choice in India reflects the weavers also sense the of belongingness their social role what were their social role in the society and their regional identity and showing how the whole the attire is being deeply interwined with culture and tradition. So all the traditional uh garments which are often uh chosen you can say even till now we we we find that when it comes to tra traditional garment we're so particular about choosing when it comes to a special occasion any ritual any festival because it is symbolizing our uh the respect that we have the continuity of our heritage right now the craftsmanship involved in the whole weaving process the dying embroidery it is illustrating India's artistic exper excellence and the whole indigenous knowledge is you know passing through uh this particular cultural heritage which obviously will be passed on from one generation to another generation.

[00:07:49]Now moving forward what are the different values that are basically reflected through our clothing. So the first value is modesty and respect. So Indian clothing if you look at it it traditionally symbol symbolizes um decencies. It symbolizes humility right so garment like saris shalvar kamis toi korta it is basically designed to cover the body in a very graceful manner and it reflects our India's uh value of modesty that is parad right even the clothing choice shows respect for a particular age the gender and the social role for example elders they usually when they reach to a particular age they switch towards whites and different shades of whites and creams and and beige colors. Why? Because it a symbol of simplicity and detachment from all the worldly colorful things, right? And even covering the head with the dupata, with the sari, with the palo or a turban and especially when you're visiting the temples or visiting the religious place or in front of elders, what is it showing? It is signifying the respect, humility and this this is the core aspect of our Indian ethical behavior.

[00:09:03]The next uh value is spirituality and purity. So how clothing India has been linked to spirituality and the purity of mind and body. So white is symbolizing purity and peace. Saffron color stands for renunciation and sacrifice and usually it is used for you know all the festive season. Even red which you know vibrates lot of energy, love and and fertility and that is why red is the color of the bride in India and even in Hinduism specific garments are worn during some specific rituals some fast some ceremonies which is maintaining that sanctity right and even the fabric selection like using natural fibers like cotton, silk, jude, it reflects the belief in satwik sat IC meaning satic living meaning simple living cleanliness and harmony with nature. So how you're utilizing the resources which is resources available in front of you around you that also will be reflecting in our Indian ethos in even in our culture and even if you if you see from the evolution of clothing the geographical condition the resources present and the skill set that people had that that's how the whole you can say the genre of uh the clothes change from one period to another right then another is university and diversity. Needless to say, you know that India is full of such diverse culture. But in spite of the diverse culture and every culture having a distinctive traditional dress, yet together they represent oneness of oneness of Indian culture. So like saris, sari is depicting one genre right of of a dress but of different states.

[00:10:48]You go to Banari, Kjiwaram, Sambalpuri, Bney, there are different type of you can say the the the weaving process is different. The the dying process is different. The skill craftsmanship is different. And even the turbans from Punjab to Rajasthan all tell a different story. They tell the story of their local tradition, their craftsmanship and their shared identity.

[00:11:11]Then these differences they are basically coexisting har har har har har har har har har har har har har har har har har har har har har har har har har har har har har har har har har har har har har har har har harmonously which is basically embodying what the Indian ethos of deva kutumbakam that is the world is one intact family and then wearing regional attire especially during the festival or the national days affirm our cultural pride and our collective identity as well. So the next value is sustainability and the respect that we have for nature.

[00:11:41]And you must understand the traditional Indian clothing is all is always eco-conscious and it it it reflects eco-conscious lifestyles because it is rooted in the respect for the resources that are present in the environment. So use of handwoven fabric, natural dyes, natural fibers, cotton, silk which align with the principle of ainsa that is nonviolence towards nature and even the ancient textile traditions like khadi or handloom weaving. It promotes self-reliance and simplicity. It values you can it values and reflects the our Indian history our India struggle Indian's freedom struggle especially led by Mahatma Gandhi.

[00:12:27]Now moving forward to other values let's look at the expression of social and cultural identity. So like I said clothing is basically signifying belongingness to a particular community to a region to a faith but still maintaining interreligious harmony as well right so like sik they wear turban Muslim might be wearing korta pajama Hindu might be wearing doi uh or korta but then it reflects a distinct cultural heritage yet they're coexisting together right so dress code during festival weddings and ritual and it is we do have the dress code Why? Because it is reinforcing the sense of joy, the devotion and the continuity of our traditions. Then coming to reflection of skills um and knowledge system, right?

[00:13:16]So Indian textile represents centuries of we can say indigenous knowledge, craftsmanship and aesthetic philosophy also. So just looking at the embroidery different type of embroidery like zardosi ka chicken curry pulkari right and weaving like ikat uh pola or bchali it embodies local wisdom and artistry as well. So all these practices it is emphasizing Indian value of sham that is dignity of labor and the transmission of traditional knowledge or traditional uh wisdom from one generation to another.

[00:13:53]Now let's have a look at how diversity in Indian traditional uh dresses are there right so like I said you like just like when I was giving the uh lecture of the food just traveling few kilometers away you you travel with the geographical condition changes food changes and even the when it comes to clothes that also changes so north east west south drastic change in the uh you can say the their clothing, the kind of uh arts, the craftsmanship also that also differs accordingly and every dress it narrates a story of that particular region's history, artist um tree, its values and the preserving the essence and of Indian ethos through the fabric and the form. Okay. So first let's have a look at the sari. Now sari was uh you can see this is the world oldest surviving garment. Still people are wearing it and it originated the as the evidence that we have that is in the industrial civilization. It it traces back till that period the women how they draped in unstitched fabric around their bodies and even in the Vic Gupta period it evolved into a symbol of grace, modesty, purity and often made from cotton, silk and muslin. Of course the kind of weaving and the dying uh the dying tradition the different varieties of saris are there like kjiwaram banari pa which is enriched in its diversity.

[00:15:24]So you can see even in the images you have the um the kanjiaram and the banari here you can see here and the patola design is also there. Now kjiwaram and benazi sari they look quite similar you can see in the picture this one there they look quite similar but the difference is that kjuaram the origination is from south India right and it is made of pure malbury silk and it is relatively heavier you can see it's quite heavy you know the cold work is quite heavy the the thread that is used and the the structured feel they usually the motives are usually inspired by temple architecture some deities ies and you know stripes and things like that there but in the banari sari it is it's originated from north India it is relatively very soft finer sk uh silk easy to drape right and uh you can say it traces back to mogul period which it is inspired by the floral and the pely you can say brocade work that is present there so sari it's worn all over India right now moving forward is kagra choli that also it is date back to industrial civilization. So we see that there are stitched gagra that is the skirt here and the choli is the blouse and the orni is the dupata or the veil that is even in the uh vic and gupta period women's clothing it reflected modesty and grace and in mughal era the the brocade the silk the brocade and the decorated you can say zard doi mirror work kotapati became very common during that time and predominantly this particular dress is worn in um Rajasthan, Gujarat and North India region because of its unique color, the vibrant unique style and vibrant colors and the embroidery pattern and it's beyond um aesthetics that kagra chuli it symbolizes femininity and cultural identity as well. So usually if you look at the region this is where it is being worn.

[00:17:27]P shalwakamies is also a traditional outfit beautifully combining the comfort, the modesty and the cultural elegance which is still worn today and major part of the country. You can see it is worn in this particular uh parts and of course its origin is traced back to Mughal period where you know and especially and even in the Mughal period we see that how the Persian and the central Asian influence it kind of you know in the the trade of the in those areas it influenced our clothing styles as well. So they started wearing loose shalwar like trousers paired with long cumies which is known as the tunic. Then coming to the different embroidery in the block prints and so on that was also introduced during that time like like just like I said zosi zuri work and kotapati right pulkari work that was very pro predominantly in Punjab chicken curry was in luckno so in the if you look at the shvakamis it represents Indian ethos of modesty simplicity and functionality how comfortable you are in your clothes right and till now I should say it remains means a timeless expression of India's cultural uni unity in diversity which is balancing tradition along with modern style.

[00:18:42]Then we have uh patu pawadai that is uh also known as langa dawani or a half sari. Now this is a a very traditional attire which was usually worn by young girls and adolescent women in south India especially in the state of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala. Now how did the outfit outfit look like? You can see in this image. So it had a long skirt pawadai that is l or langa that is a long skirt and dhani or wii that was the dupata and a and a blouse or a choli which symbolizes the transition from childhood to womenhood traditionally made of silk pu or with gold zari work borders and very intricate design was over there. So um and while in Andhra Pradesh it's also you can say that it's more the popular dress is popular you can say um the the sari that was worn at that time or the patuadai that was worn at that time in this particular dress the colors and the patterns it varied according to region also know the bright hues and the contrasting borders and so on like in Andhra Pradesh it was pochampali or gadwal silk version you can see here here in this image also Right. So basically this variation also it's reflecting our cultural identity, celebrating femininity and the regional craftsmanship and especially while preserving the essence of the south Indian textile heritage. So this is the area where it is uh where it is predominantly worn. Then doi and lungi also in you can see in the south India it is worn here uh which is a traditional garment which is worn by men across various region of India.

[00:20:24]And the lung on the other hand is more casual kind of a thing, right? It's made of cotton or silk and is known for its colorful checks and patterns, right? And whereas the dhi it is usually cream color and with um rectangular piece of um cloth cloth which is draped around the waist and legs and tied in a knot.

[00:20:44]So it's often worn during a religious celebrations or ceremonies, the festivals and the formal occasions.

[00:20:52]Then shwani this is now everybody's familiar with this because now this is becoming the wedding attire right the shwvani but if you look at the the genesis how did it evolved the where did it come from so it was basically the mogul period it was in then again it was influenced by the persian and the central Asian attire and it symbols it is symbolized royalty sophistication and the cultural refinement and it is predominantly worn by men in north India but I would I would say now I think when it comes to wedding most even in the south Indian I've seen young young boys they're no wearing shwanis so it's like a typical churidar or pants are there pajama are there and then there is a turban um there's worn on the um head and then there is a stool and the shwanis usually they have the embroidery zuri work depending on the occasions like it can be made really god godi so it's basically mughal grandeur and Indian tradition is reflect ed uh through Sherwani. So it bas basically see we find that this is now this is a timeless outfit which is bridging India's royal past with contemporary fashion as well. Then ka pajama you're also familiar with this. This is um worn almost in every part uh of the country.

[00:22:12]It's popular reason being because it's very comfortable. It's very simple and very elegant as well. And now uh then again the whole um um you can say origination of kortapajamas started if it's traced back to mo era especially during the trade with Persian and central Asian clothing it was influenced by their clothing as well and the kortas are usually made of cotton silk or linen right this also reflects the timeless and the practical aspect of this garment which bridges the tradition with modern life.

[00:22:45]So if you look at the rich heritage of Indian textile in the in the ancient period. So we look at the indust valley civilization how the dyes were used during the time the mad dyed per purple and that which was wrapped around a pot even that was uncovered during the excavation. So and then there was a famous stone sculpture the priest king which depicts a uh tree uh foiled pattern cloth which was draped around him. So the early start of textile if you look at the tradition provides a base that India became the major textile leader in the world. Even in the Vic period it provides a rich insight into into the different profession the raw material that was used. So even the riged describes weavers as basu uh va right and the male weavers were known as va and the female weavers were known as the vay and you'll be surprised to know that uh that during that time both male and female they practice weaving right and the early vic period it refers to wasa and adhiasa as the upper and the lower garment. So if you look at the earliest uh pictures and the sculptures it depicts you know uh a very um it has a different story to tell right. So the mahabharat the the Sanskrit epic it mentions numerals uh textile tradition which were gifted either in dowi or gifts to the feudatory lords. So there was a reference of chitra vastramani cher in the epic. So both of which denotes a printed and pearl embroidered fabric respectively. And even in the uh arthur chastra we they signified um that textile is in both domestic and foreign trade as well. So there they used fabric like woolen, cotton, flax textiles and it also mentioned weaving uh was the women's occupation at that time and the wages depended on the thickness of the yarn. That's how they be paid. Then Indian textile um around in 100 CE has found a good market beyond the subcontinents. In Persian they admired the bright colors of Indian textile. The Indian muslin which was called nebula or gangitica and venti. It became very popular in Rome. The Buddhist literature also mentioned numerous fi um fabric like uh com kman or capi um capiscum or cotton or cosium which is also known as silk. Even the jataka um tales also mentioned spinning and weaving as a specific profession.

[00:25:23]And here also we find that there was lot of evidence which was uh required or which was basically you know uncovering the the kind of specialized technical skills that which were required for an embroidery. This bandini tie and dye um patuo that is ikat weaving which was also found during the cave paintings in the uh ajenta in 600 CE. So the mughal period which dates back to 1500 and 1700 CE it's a very productive era for Indian textile and it is different reason being because at that time the artisans they produce exquisite hand knotted carpet especially during the Jangi reign and they they know held special workshops for embroidery, gold smithy, painting, stitching and scale weaving and those the even the bread spreads and the wall hangings they became quite popular and they were exported to Europe by Portuguese, Dutch, English and French traders. Then when British colonization started in the mid of 19th century there we saw that a a different turn took place. So it was because especially because of the Swadeshi movement which was led by Mahatma Gandhi who boycotted the British goods and promoted indigenous production. So despite the challenges and the loss of traditional method, India's textile heritage still survived through weaving, through embroidery and painting practices that still continues today. So the use of pigments in the textiles also dates back to 14th century if you looks particularly in Gujarat and Rajasthan which were uh richly uh decorated fabric which parallel the style of miniature painting. A notable example is the pitchwai. It is a painted cloth used as a devotional uh backdrop for the diety in the temples. So all that you see that the kind of resources that they use the pigments that all came from the nature.

[00:27:25]Now coming to the types of textile. Now the first type of textile is weaving. So weaving is a process of creating fabric by l interlacing two threads. Right? So you have the wrap the lengthwise uh thread and the webbed which is the cross thread. So this is the oldest you can say uh method of fabric uh weaving and the beauty of weaving lies in the combination of arts, the technique, the choice of colors, the pattern and the texture as well.

[00:27:55]So the weaving it traces back to Neolithic times. the viewers they how they interlaced the branches and the twigs of the tree to make fences to make shelters and basket for production. Then even in dust valley civilization we did uncover the spinning and the weaving uh roles um and how the ancient Indians they were skilled enough in this particular process as well.

[00:28:18]And Gupta period also the weaving became very specialized and under mogul it flourished more and many different fabric like brocades jam um jamanis and velvet were produced in the royal workshop. Then again when it came to the British period um then many of the British you can say the the market which was flooded with British product the the things were boycotted because of the swadeshi movement and Mahatma Gandhi he revived the interest in the handspun and handwoven cloth like khadi right so after independence India made an effort to preserve and promote its diverse weaving traditions such as banari kipuram and pulkari work so till Today if you visit those places these are the traditional dresses that are worn on those dresses in in those states in those and there's a perfect blend of traditional craftsmanship with modern creativity. Here you can see the different images also of different statewise how the cloth and you can see the cloth texture just by looking even at the pictures you can see the the colors used and the the texture also.

[00:29:26]Then even the embroidery how it differs.

[00:29:28]So embroider is of the art of decorating fabric basically using needle thread or yarn right and you're using also beads in between the sequin the mirror and the pearls as well. So different state had different you know embroidery. So we had pulk curry we was from Punjab uh chicken curry from lacno ktha from Bengal sard dosi from Delhi and kut from Gujarat right and each style it reflected the region's history lifestyle and aesthetic.

[00:29:56]So same way industrial civilization did we uncovered a lot of garments with some pattern some motive which were embroidered in medieval period especially during the Delhi Sultan there was a luxury style of you know zordosi gold and silver thread embroidery work that is hook embroidery and chicken kari which is a very delicate white thread work.

[00:30:19]Then again like I said um then the colonial period came and the swadishi moment came which revived the interest in the indigenous craft. Here again you can see the different kind of you know work the Kotaapati the zardoi the pulkari work of Punjab and the Kashida work of Kashmir parsi work in Maharashtra all the beautiful motives and colors right so it's basically enhancing the beauty of the garment as well then coming to the dying the dying process how the different colors are added to fibers yarns and fabric so even the if you look in the indis valley civilization the archaeologists They discovered dyed cotton uh um fragments at Mahinjitaro also and the natural dyes they were extracted from plants, minerals and insects. So we have blue the common dice was blue like indigo which was blue, madder was red, turmeric was yellow and the pomegranate grind was basically greenish uh brownish shade.

[00:31:19]Even in the Morin Gupta period uh because of um they uncovered they discovered or or they invented in fact a lot of beautiful dyed fabric and because and they it became a price trade item during the time of silk road and then indigo was famously um exported to different countries like Egypt rope and later uh Europe as well.

[00:31:43]Then uh when the swadeshi moment came there was a push towards more eco-friendly production which revived n interest in the natural dyes and and by that we were preserving India's heritage uh as a global hub of color and creativity.

[00:31:59]So you can see here the different um um fabrics how they were dyed and how they were basically displayed in the garments the different color style. Now coming to printing. Now printing on the textile is a process of applying colored pattern or designs like printed decorates and the printing also it specifies some different areas some motives some uh you can say borders as well. So you can see in the image how the printing is done very interesting and very um you can say it looks very beautiful the choice of colors and the how the design is being well placed. So the textile printing in India it dates back to 3rd century and there we have uncovered the wooden blocks and stamp design that we used on the cotton f uh fabric as well. Then even in the mogul period we did see there was a flourished during that time the printing and how the intricate design the combination of floral even the geometrical design and the Persian motives were printed on the fabric.

[00:33:00]Now you can see here even in the images these are the different fabrics which have used the printing. Then this is another skill set painting. Painting just imagine a human painting the entire fabric decorating the fabric with applying colors and dyes and making very creative very beautiful pattern motives and images. No doubt it's timetaking but it was beautiful and that and all that we uncovered from Ajenta caves also the paintings done there and the kind of dyes they use the mirror mineral pigments and so on. So the best form is the kalam kari as the name said kalam meaning pen kari meaning work and this originated in Andhra Pradesh and a very unique style of hand paint integrate mythological you can see the scenes on cotton and silk um fabric on saris or on blouses or even in the on the wall hanging which natural colors as well.

[00:33:55]Now this is all kalam curry you can see even in the image beautifully being done all the history is being depicted there.

[00:34:02]So you see this is what I call our Indian tradition our Indian ethos is reflected just from a piece of garment.

[00:34:11]Can you believe it? So to conclude the traditional Indian clothing and textile arts are not just an aesthetic expression right what did we find it we found that it was a reflection of country's cultural spiritual and ethical values. It was also India's philosophy of unity and divi in diversity. So by preserving and celebrating all these traditions that we just saw, India continues to honors its heritage, fosters social cohesion and inspire young and future generation like you to you know understand and uh to uh respect our thread of history and artistry through the whole fabric of just a garment just a cloth. Our whole history is being reflected by it. Right? So I hope you enjoyed the session but we still not ending because this is a um quite a long session. So I'll be coming with part two of this session and till then uh you take care of yourself. You can also go through this link in which you can have a detailed um description regarding um the theoretical part that I talked about and the images also you can find in this uh suggested reading. So thank you so much for your patience listening and I'll be back again with part two. Have a great day.

[00:35:30]>> [music]