Indian Overview Fashion Dress
India
• Ancient Civilizations • The Early Historical Period • The Gupta Period • The Arrival of Islam • The Mughal Empire • Colonial Period • Regional Dress • The Modern Period the rich ethnic mix, and changing allegiances have also had a huge influence. Furthermore, while peoples from Central Asia brought a range of textile designs and modes of dress with them, the strongest tradition (as in practically every traditional society), for women as well as men, is the draping and wrapping of cloth, for uncut, unstitched fabric is considered pure, sacred, and powerful.
ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS
Harappan statues, which have been dated to approximately 3000 b.c.e., depict the garments worn by the most ancient Indians. A priestlike bearded man is shown wearing a togalike robe that leaves the right shoulder and arm bare; on his forearm is an armlet, and on his head is a coronet with a central circular decoration. The robe appears to be printed or, more likely, embroidered or appliquéd in a trefoil pattern. The trefoil motifs have holes at the centers of the three circles, suggesting that stone or colored faience may have been embedded there. Harappan female figures are scantily clad. A naked female with heavy bangles on one arm, thought to represent a dancer, could have been a votive figure that would have been dressed (also in a togalike garment, leaving the decorated arm uncovered) for ritual use, a custom observed throughout India in the early twenty-first century. Other excavated female figurines wear miniskirts, necklaces, and elaborate headdresses. The skirts are fastened either by sashes or beaded girdles, which continued to be used in later times. One figure wears a short cloak leaving the breasts bare. A fan-shaped headdress is seen on statues of both sexes. Male figures appear to wear a neck scarf that may be an early angavastram, a traditional scarf still used in the early twenty-first century. However, the Harappan scarves are shown held by a brooch and could be signs
• Ancient Civilizations • The Early Historical Period • The Gupta Period • The Arrival of Islam • The Mughal Empire • Colonial Period • Regional Dress • The Modern Period the rich ethnic mix, and changing allegiances have also had a huge influence. Furthermore, while peoples from Central Asia brought a range of textile designs and modes of dress with them, the strongest tradition (as in practically every traditional society), for women as well as men, is the draping and wrapping of cloth, for uncut, unstitched fabric is considered pure, sacred, and powerful.
ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS
Harappan statues, which have been dated to approximately 3000 b.c.e., depict the garments worn by the most ancient Indians. A priestlike bearded man is shown wearing a togalike robe that leaves the right shoulder and arm bare; on his forearm is an armlet, and on his head is a coronet with a central circular decoration. The robe appears to be printed or, more likely, embroidered or appliquéd in a trefoil pattern. The trefoil motifs have holes at the centers of the three circles, suggesting that stone or colored faience may have been embedded there. Harappan female figures are scantily clad. A naked female with heavy bangles on one arm, thought to represent a dancer, could have been a votive figure that would have been dressed (also in a togalike garment, leaving the decorated arm uncovered) for ritual use, a custom observed throughout India in the early twenty-first century. Other excavated female figurines wear miniskirts, necklaces, and elaborate headdresses. The skirts are fastened either by sashes or beaded girdles, which continued to be used in later times. One figure wears a short cloak leaving the breasts bare. A fan-shaped headdress is seen on statues of both sexes. Male figures appear to wear a neck scarf that may be an early angavastram, a traditional scarf still used in the early twenty-first century. However, the Harappan scarves are shown held by a brooch and could be signs
References: and Further Reading Agrawala , Vasudeva S. Gupta Art. Lucknow : U. P. Historical Society, 1947. Alkazi, Roshen. Ancient Indian Costume. New Delhi: National Book Trust, 1998. Barret, D. Sculpture from Amaravati in the British Museum. London: British Museum, 1954. Basham, A. L. The Wonder That Was India. Reprint, New Delhi: Rupa, 1981. Biswas, A. Indian Costumes. New Delhi: Publications Division, 1985. Boulanger, Chantal. Saris: An Illustrated Guide to the Indian Art and Draping. New York: Shakti Press International, 1997. Brij Bhushan, J. Indian Jewellery, Ornaments and Decorative Designs. Mumbai: Tarporevala, 1958. Chandra, Moti. Costumes, Textiles, Cosmetics and Coiffure in Ancient and Medieval India. Ahmedabad: Calico Textile Museum, 1986. Coomaraswamy, Ananda K. Jaina Paintings and Manuscripts: Catalogue of Indian Collection. Boston: Museum of Fine Arts, 1924. Cunningham, A. The Stupa of Bharhut. London: W. H. Allen, 1879. Ghosh, A. “ Taxila.” Ancient India 4 (1947–1948). New Delhi: Archeological Department, Government Press. Ghurye, G. S. Indian Costume. Mumbai: Popular Prakashan, 1951. INDIA Goswamy, B. N. Indian Costume. Ahmedabad: Calico Textile Museum, 1993. Ibn Battuta , Mohammad-ibn’Abd Allah. Travels in Asia and Africa 1325–1354. Translated by H.A.R. Gibb. New York: McBride, 1929. Kramrisch, Stella. Indian Sculpture. Reprint, Delhi: Motilal Banarsi Das, 1981. (Originally published in 1933.) Thapar, Romila. History of India. Vol. 1. London: Penguin, 1966. 71 Yazdani, Gulam. Ajanta: The Colour and Monochrome Reproductions of Ajanta Frescoes. Introduction by Binyon Lawrence. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1930. Jasleen Dhamija See also Ladakh; Nagaland and Nagas of Manipur.