HISTORY OF INDIAN

COSTUMES
INTRODUCTION
•Costumes and Textiles have occupied a prominent place in the world, across

geographic regions and climatic conditions, since ancient times.

•People naturally utilized whatever material was conveniently available.

• Over time, the costumes had been developed in the hands of artisans as they

enriched fabric and garments.

 UNIT-1-DEVELOPMENT OF CLOTHING THROUGH AGES
NEOLITHIC AGE

•About 12,000 years ago (10,000 B.C.) an important discovery was made.  Humans

learned to farm.  This became known as the Neolithic Period or New Stone Age. 

•The Neolithic Revolution was a major turning point in history.  In addition to learning to

farm, man learned to domesticate (tame) animals.  In doing so, life drastically changed

for mankind.

•Some families may have strictly farmed, while others took care of the animals, another

family may have been responsible for gathering wood or other building materials. 

• Language became more sophisticated and people soon learned to write.  Animal skin

clothing was replaced by cloth, caves and simple shelters became wood or clay homes. 
This outfit of linen string was
typical fashion in the region
surrounding Denmark from
600,000 to 50 B.C.E.
Along with agriculture came a suite of related technological and cultural advances.
Among these advances were new techniques in the production of clothing. While direct
evidence for textiles is rare due to their organic nature, the tools and accessories for
producing clothing are more durable and produce a clear picture of clothing during the
Neolithic.

Furs
Furs and unscraped hides remained popular materials for clothing, even in areas where
technology was advancing.
Furs provided warmth and protection from the elements far beyond other Neolithic
clothing materials, and required comparatively little processing. Furs were often pinned
together using simple bone fasteners rather than stitched.
They remained in wide use as a primary clothing material in cold climates and areas with
harsh winters.
Leather
The Neolithic saw significant advances in tanning techniques for leather
Tanned leather is also thin and tough enough to be stitched together in
addition to being pinned into place.
Bone needles and sinew threads have been discovered at Neolithic
sites that would have allowed the construction of well-formed leather
garments.

Textiles
Flax, wool and goat hair were commonly spun into thread during the
Neolithic.
The rise of agriculture during this time allowed regular access to these
materials, and cloth was a common product of Neolithic communities
 INDUS VALLEY CIVILIZATION

The Indus Valley Civilization (IVC) was a Bronze Age civilization (3300–1300 BCE; mature

period 2600–1900 BCE) extending from what today Is northeast Afghanistan to Pakistan and
northwest India (see map).
 Along with Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia it was one of three early civilizations of the Old
World, and of the three the most widespread. It flourished in the basins of the Indus River,
one of the major rivers of Asia, and the Ghaggar-Hakra River, which once coursed through
northwest India and eastern Pakistan.[3]

The discovery of a few fragments with traces of a purple dye at Mohenjo-daro proves that
cotton was spun and woven in India at least as early as 3000 B.C. We also know from a sculpture
of that time that patterned cloths were in use even then. Lapis lazuli objects found in the
settlements at Sind, Punjab.
Dress of Indus people consisted of two piece cloths : upper one and lower one. they
were made of cotton fibres. ornaments were made of copper bronze and other metals
which were worn by rich people but poor people wore ornaments made up of bone,
shell ,and stone.
Economic status of the people had an effect on their external appearance or outlook.

Women wore skirts and necklaces, men wore an off-the-shoulder robe.

 VEDIC AGES
•The Vedic age or the Vedic period was the time duration between 1500 to 500 BC and is
called so because it was during this period that the Vedas were being written.
• The Vedas are books or texts that are related to the religion followed by the Indo-Aryans,
or Hindus.
•Since, this age was known to be Vedic only in the Indian subcontinent, the earlier years of
this age usually overlap with the Later Harappan period. The Vedic period is also divided into
early and later years, for the purpose of studies. As the Indian man was developing in this
age, one of the most significant inventions was weaving of cloth and making clothes.
• The Vedic Indians wore three garments - a long loin cloth with pleats or "nivi", a cloak and a
wrapper when required. Some wore shoes of antelope and boar skin.

 
Alexander, the Greek Emperor was successful in invading the
Punjab, India in 323 BC. His Greek successors stayed back in
India and Indianized their apparel. The two piece cloth remained,
while the yardage of the upper cloth increased and was draped
elegantly as seen from the Gandhara sculptures that were the first
to depict the Buddha in the human form.
Women's Costumes
•As the Vedic people were in the initial stages of stitching clothes, the easiest piece of clothing
for women was 'the Sari'.
• It is a long stretch of cloth which is about six to nine yards, and is to be draped on a woman's
body in a specific manner. However, the most common manner of draping the sari was,
wrapping one end of the cloth around the waist, and throwing the other end over the shoulder
covering the bust area.
 
A blouse or a 'Choli' was later incorporated as a part of the sari, as an upper body garment with
sleeves and a neck.
Another similar type of Vedic clothing is 'the Dupatta', which is the smaller version of the sari. It
is only a few meters long and was usually used in the later Vedic period as a part of
sophisticated garments such as, 'Ghagra Choli', where the Ghagra is a long skirt worn with a
blouse and the Dupatta.
Men's Costumes

•Men too draped pieces of long clothing around them during the Vedic period.
• The most initial attire of Vedic men were 'Dhotis', which are similar to a Dupatta but slightly
longer.
•However, men draped the Dhoti around their waste and partitioned it with pleats.
• There were no upper garments required by men in this era, therefore, the Dhoti was the
only piece of clothing they wore.
• Another similar garment worn by men was the 'Lungi', which was simply draped around the
man's waist and pleated in the center, but is not partitioned.
•However, when Vedic people learned to stitch, they made 'the Kurta' which is a loose shirt
like upper body garment. Then, came the 'Pajama' which resembled a loose trouser. Men also
wore head gears such as turbans, draped in various regional styles.
 
UNIT -2-COSTUMES OF EARLY INDIA

SUNGA DYNASTY

The Sunga dynasty was established in 185 BCE, about 50 years after Ashoka death,

when the emperor Brhadratha, the last of the Mauryan rulers, was assassinated by
the then commander-in-chief of the Mauryan armed forces, Pusyamitra Sunga, while
he was taking the Guard of Honour of his forces.

Men and women continued to wear three unstitched garments, as in Vedic times. The
main garment was the antariya of white cotton, linen or flowered muslin, sometimes
embroidered in gold and precious stones.
lambanam: in phalakahara style
Hair ornament: jewelled and worn below centre parting
of the hair
GUPTA PERIOD

•The Gupta empire was founded in northern India at the

beginning of the fourth century AD after a long period of chaos
which ensued when the Kushan empire ended in the middle of
the third century.
•The Gupta period includes the reign of Harsha of Kanauj (AD
606-647) who revived the glory of the empire after the invasions
of the White Huns. Neither Harsha nor the Guptas had ever been
able to conquer the south, where the Pallavas and chalukyas
took over from the Satavahanas.

MENS COSTUME
•In this period there was a marked preference for the stitched
garment, as compared to any previous age.
•The stitched garment had gained in status and it was now linked
to royalty.
•They are shown on Gupta coins in full Kushan dress, that is, the
coat, trousers and boots.
•Many forms of cut-and-sewn garments became fashionable,
especially at court.
WOMENS COSTUME
• In female costume, however, the variety is much grater and hence it is more difficult to pin-
point the exact sources. The antariya, which was 18-36 inch wide and 4-8 yards long, was
worn in several different ways.
•The short or long antariya was worn in the kachcha style or as a lehnga, in which case it was
first wrapped. around the right hip then around the body and tucked in at the left hip.
•Another form of the antariya was worn in the Kachcha and lehnga style together. This was
usually a very short antariya only up to mid-thigh called calanika.
•A common form was a skimpy antariya made of cheap linen worn mainly by lower classes.
•Normally the nobility wore the ankle-length antariya and women of high rank, attendant
usually wore the shorter form.
•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.
•The Nayak dynasties emerged in South India after the collapse of the Vijayanagar
Empire.
•The Nayaks, former military governors of the Vijayanagar emperors, had declared
their independence in 1565 and established their own kingdoms, ruling from the
16th to 18th century.
• Nayak rule was noted for its administrative reforms, its artistic and cultural
achievements, and the creation of a unique style of temple architecture.
• They also renovated temples that had been sacked by the Delhi Sultans.
Nayak Architecture
The main characteristics of Nayak temple architecture as pioneered by the
Nayaks of Madurai and Tanjore are the long corridors; the carved hundred-
pillared and thousand-pillared mandapas (outdoor temple halls or porches); and
the high, multi-storied gopurams (towers adorning the entrance of a temple),
richly decorated with brightly-painted stone and stucco statues of animals, gods,
and demons.

Gopuram, Meenakshi Amman Temple

Hall of a Thousand Pillars, Meenakshi Amman Temple
•Arguably the greatest example of the Nayak style is the Meenakshi Amman Temple
at Madurai that was built between 1623 and 1655 AD. The temple has ten ornate
gopurams and a hall with 985 pillars, each of which is a sculpture in the Dravidian
style.
•The temple complex also includes a sacred temple tank, the Porthamarai Kulam or
Pond with the Golden Lotus. A portico on the west side of the tank contains
remnants of Nayak paintings from the 17th and18th centuries.
Painting
•Tanjore painting, a major form of classical South Indian painting, originated under
the Nayaks of Tanjore around 1600 AD.
• Renowned for their surface richness, vivid colors, and compact composition,
these paintings serve primarily as devotional icons.
• Hindu gods, goddesses, and saints are the most frequent subjects.
•Tanjore paintings are usually done on solid wooden planks.
• The artist began by making a preliminary sketch of the image on a base of cloth
pasted onto the wood and applied a mixture of zinc oxide and adhesive to the
base.
•After the drawing was completed, the image were decorated with semi-precious
stones, lace, or thread.
Coins
•The Nayaks issued coins made of gold and copper, featuring Hindu gods and
goddesses such as Shiva and Parvati, figures of the king, and animals.
•Both real and mythical, the latter included bears, elephants, lions, and fish (the
emblem of the Pandyas who had ruled Madurai before the Vijayanagar and
Nayak rulers).
• The coins also carry inscriptions in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Nagari scripts.
MUGHALS DYNASTY
•Indian empire that ruled for more than 300 years (1526 to 1858), except for a
brief period under the Sur sultans (1540-1555).
•Founded in 1526.
• Dominated India between 17th and 18th centuries.
• Empire ended in mid-1900s.
• Descended from Mongolian ancestors around Pakistan.
• Population at height: between 110 and 130 million people.
• Sophisticated, mixed Indo-Persian culture.
A BRIEF HISTORY
• Empire founded in 1526 by Emperor Babur.
• Prospered under first 6 emperors, referred to as the
Great Mughals.
• 2nd emperor, Humayan, lost several battles to Sher
Shah Suri, losing control of Hindustan.
•3rd emperor Akbar (circa 1700) regained control of
Hindustan. Greatest Mughal ruler.
• 5th ruler Shah Jahan built the Taj Mahal in 1653.
•Empire declined under 6th emperor, Aurangzeb. Wars
of succession, local revolts
• By 1765, the Mughal emperor had become a pensioner
of the British East India Company.
• Empire had several more mediocre rulers, finally
ending in 1857 with expulsion to Burma (by British) of
Emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar.
 ART
•Known for manuscripts and Persian
miniature paintings.
•Very symbolic and intricate version of
painting and art.
•Involved a lot of nature (birds, flowers,
animals, etc.
• Very colorful and detailed.
•In 1680 Emporer Shah Jahan banned music
and painting from his court, but he allowed
architectural art, such as the Pearl Mosque
and the Taj Mahal.
The apparent simplicity of his costume
is most elegant: he has a most
attractive
pearl and diamond turban, and his
delicate robe is made from fine cotton
from the 
Dacca  region.  The  golden throne,
silk rug and silver railings are  all 
traditional, 
though  one would have expected the
Emperor to have been wearing rings on
his
fingers. Inset, with a spray of feathers
• Mogul women, wearing veils of thin muslin, with
jewels on their foreheads, ears and hands.
• Their robes are made of fine cotton from Dacca, and
their trousers, of embroidered silk, come from the
valley of Kashmir.
•Their breasts are supported bycases made from a
very light, flexible wood, joined together in the middle
and strapped on behind.
• After washing, Mogul women apply sandalwood
powder as a perfume, then highlight their eyes with
antimony.
• They paint their nails a vermilion colour, using the
sap of the maldroni plant
• Kurta ~ an informal dress worn by
Mughal men and women

• Sometimes sewn with gold or

silver threads.

•Cut in long, flowing panels for

comfort; about knee-length.

•They used to wear turbans and

long scarf as their head accessories
and also these will be decorated
with beads and ornaments.
UNIT 3: ERA OF INDIAN CLOTHING
Tradition clothing for men
• For men, traditional clothes are the Dhoti, Lungi or Kurta.
• In southern India the men wear long, white sheets of cloth called dhoti in north
Indian languages like Hindi and Bengali and veshti in Tamil. Over the dhoti, men
wear shirts, t-shirts, or anything else.
• Women wear a sari, a long sheet of colourful cloth with patterns.
•Historians say that the achkan, a long-sleeved coat worn mainly by Muslim men
even today, originated in Central Asia, more specifically, it was the court costume
for Persian and Turkish nobles. The achkan can reach down to the knees or even
lower, and is buttoned in the front.
•Dhoti: This remains the most traditional garment of the Indian male. It is a 6 yard-
long rectangular piece of unstitched white cloth, which is wrapped around the waist
and between the legs. Its usage can be traced back to ancient times. Though
western outfits have replaced the dhoti over the years, yet it remains the chosen
one for Indian festivals and weddings. It may be found in cream or off white shades,
both in cotton and silk fabrics. But today one can find designer dhotis in different
colours and designs.
•A dhoti can be worn in a variety of ways and have different names according to the
style.
•An angavastram or an unstitched piece of cloth is placed over the left shoulder in
this case.
•Lungi: This is a piece of cloth sewn in a circle and worn around the waist like a
sarong.
• Besides India, lungis are popular in several communities across Asia, such as
Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
•The most common patterns of lungis are plain, checks or stripes. It is considered
to be a very comfortable garment among males in regions where conditions make
it impossible and uncomfortable for the men to wear trousers all the time.
•In Punjab, a lungi is also called a tehmat, which is made of extravagant silks in an
endless variety of hues and shades. It is draped in a manner where the pleats fall
in the front. Punjabi men wear this with a long kurta and an embroidered jacket
and of course, a colourful pagdi (turban).
TRADITIONAL CLOTHING FOR WOMEN.

•Traditional Indian clothing for women are the saris or the salwar kameez and also
Ghaghra Cholis (Lehengas).
•This is draped over a simple or fancy blouse.
•This is worn by young ladies and woman. Little girls wear a pavada. A pavada is a
long skirt worn under a blouse. Both are often daily patterned. Bindi is part of the
women's make-up. Indo-western clothing is the fusion of Western and
Subcontinental fashion.
•Churidar, Dupatta, Gamchha, Kurta, Mundum Neriyathum, Sherwani are among
other clothes.
•The Sari
The sari is the traditional garment of an Indian woman. It is an unstitched piece of
cloth, which varies from five to nine yards in length and can be worn in different
styles
•The most popular style of wearing a sari is by tucking one end into the petticoat at
the waist while a major portion of it is pleated neatly and tucked in the front.
•The rest of the sari, which is known as the pallu or pallav is taken over the left
shoulder.
•The pallu is the most fascinating and striking feature of a sari, it is often heavily
embellished with woven motifs or embroidery.

.
a)Gujarati: The Gujarati woman sports a distinctive style, as she wears a sari with a
neatly pleated pallu brought in front over the right shoulder with one end tucked
around the waist to the left.

b)Maharashtrian: A nine-yard sari called the nawwadi is the traditional style very
similar to the men’s dhoti. The pleats of the sari are placed between the legs and
tucked in the centre back. Fisherwomen in the coastal regions of Maharashtra still
wear a nawwadi and well, it is worn without a petticoat!

C)Madrasi: This style is very similar to the Maharashtrian nawwadi or the nine-yard
sari. The pallu is quite long and wrapped around the waist and tucked in.
Salwar Kameez: It is the outfit commonly worn by Indian women and is second in
line after the sari.
• The outfit is probably born out of Islamic influence especially that of Arabic and
Persian cultures.
• Women all over the country prefer this dress mainly because of the comfort and
ease of movement that it offers, besides near zero maintenance.
•This is popularly known as a churidar. In Punjab, the women wear a patiala
salwar which falls around the legs in innumerable pleats resembling a dhoti.
• A kameez is a long shirt, either loose or tight-fitting and comes in a straight or A-
line shape.
•Ghaghra / Lehenga Choli: A ghagra or a lehenga is a long gathered gypsy skirt
with dazzling embroidery or mirror work and comes in vibrant colours.
• It is worn with a choli, which is a short closely fitted woman’s blouse that shows off
the midriff, or a kurti (shorter version of a kurta).
•Some cholis can be fastened at the back by means of narrow strips of cloth or
chords.
•An odhni or a dupatta (scarf) with intricate designs complements the outfit. Women
in Rajasthan and Gujarat don this beautiful and highly sensuous outfit.
UNIT-4-INTRODUCTION TO INDIAN COSTUMES

  India is a great land of culture and heritage, she wonderfully weaves together so
many people of different castes and religion.
Different people have different tastes, fashion likes and dislikes.
India is well known for its garments and classic fashion styles all around the world.
Indian women wear traditional Indian dresses, the men in India can be found in
more conventional western clothing like shirts and trousers.
Ethnic styles in Indian clothing are so much about panache.
UNIT- 4- TRADITIONAL COSTUMES OF INDIAN STATES.

PUNJAB

•Dresses of Punjab are indicative of the bright and vibrant culture and lifestyle of the
people.
•The Dresses are a mix of colour, comfort and beauty. The traditional costume of the
men of Punjab comprises a kurta pyjama.
•The kurta is a kind of loose shirt which is long and straight-cut. The pyjamas are
loose, baggy pants which are tied at the waist.
• A popular, comfortable and convenient dress worn by the women of Punjab is the
churidar kurta. Punjabi girls and women also wear salwar kameez`s with bright
colored duppattas.
HIMACHAL PRADESH
• Dresses of HIMACHAL PRADESH comprise an awesome diversity of culture and
religion.
•The Dresses of each community are different, be it the Brahmins, the Rajputs, and
the tribal people like Gaddis, Kinnars, Gujjars, Pangawals and Lahaulis The Dhoti-
clad Brahmin priests roam around in Kurta, coat, waistcoat, turban, i.e., Pagri, and
with a hand towel, placed upon the shoulders and a copy of Panchang (an
astrological yearbook), for important consultation.
• The Rajputs wear body-hugging churidar pyjamas, a long coat, a starch -stiffened
turban with a unique mould, and shoes with pointed edges. The splendid Dresses of
Himachal Pradesh owe a lot to the impressive craftsmanship of the prolific weaving-
talents and the outstanding handlooms of the state.
RAJASTHAN
•Dress of Rajasthan are extremely bright, colourful and elegant.
• The beautifully designed and vibrantly coloured clothes lend cheerfulness to the dull-
coloured monotone of the sands and hills.
•Interesting Dresses and jewellery of these desert people are not mere ornaments for
them. Everything from head-to-toe including the turbans, clothes, jewellery and even the
footwear establish the identity, religion, and the economic and social status of the
population of Rajasthan.
 JAMMU AND KASHMIR
•Dresses of Jammu and Kashmir reflect the richness of the culture and landscape of the
region. In these mountainous regions, the traditional `pheran` is the most popular form of
dressing among both men and women.
• The pheran has a lot of beautiful embroidery work done on it and is decorated with floral
motifs and designs. The pheran is the most commonly worn garment among men.
• Hindu men usually wear churidars while the Muslim men are dressed in salwars beneath
the formidable pherans. The pheran is the prominent attire for Kashmiri women as well.
• Traditionally, there are the `poots` and the pheran, comprising two robes placed atop
the other. The pheran worn by women usually has zari embroidery on the hem line,
around pockets and mostly on the collar area.
KERALA

Dresses of Kerala evidence the simplicity of the lifestyle of the Malayali people. The people
from `God`s own country`, both men and women, are mostly seen dressed in off-white and
white attires. The principal dress which the people of Kerala wear is largely traditional in
nature. The traditional form of dress worn by the Keralites is Mundu and Neriyathu (a piece
of white cloth having borders of golden zari symbolising royalty) for both men and women.
The women also wear sari (a five to six meter long cloth which is embroidered with golden
border) and jacket.
 TAMIL NADU
• Dresses of Tamil Nadu for the most part comprise the traditional wears. The women of this
state are decked with these traditional sarees that mark them from rest of the communities.
• The ageless charm of these sarees is the identity of the people of Tamil Nadu.
• In Tamil Nadu women don the Indian saree and blouse, whereas, men wear lungi together
with a shirt and `Angavastra.` The lungi is a rectangular cloth, normally manufactured from
cotton, draped around the waist and pleated in front at the groin.
•The Angavastra is an elongated piece of cloth wrapped around the shoulders. In earlier
times it was donned instead of an upper garment, but nowadays men wear an angavastra
over a shirt.
 KARNATAKA
• Dresses of Karnataka consist of regal silk sarees, which happen to be the traditional
Dresses of this place. Karnataka is the silk hub of the country. Karnataka silk has a wide
spectrum. It has abundant variety, namely, smooth silks, sleek chiffons, and gorgeous
brocades.
•These saris not only decorate women in the state, but also establish its sway in other parts
of the country and in foreign nations.
• Indeed, Bengaluru and Mysore are the epicenters of silk-industries in South India.
• Karnataka men wear formal shirts, or T-shirts or trousers, without having the privilege of
many options. However, on special occasions, men might dress themselves in traditional
costume, the Panche, which is Dhoti-like apparel.
MAHARASHTRA

•Dress of Maharashtra comprises a nine yard sari as the traditional costume for the women, and
dhoti and shirt as the traditional costume of the men folk.
• Maharashtra, one of the largest and most populous states of India, demonstrates an array of
costumes, suiting the purpose of any occasion, as well as weather conditions.
• The traditional costume of women in Maharashtra is a nine-yard long saree, called Nauvari.
• This saree bears a resemblance to male trousers. This specific style of draping does not require
a petticoat or a slip beneath it. During the Maratha rule, women were entrusted with the grave
responsibility of helping their male partners, at emergency period of wars. To facilitate easy
movement, the Maharashtrian women then introduced the Nauvari Saree. The men of
Maharashtra uphold Dhoti as their cultural heritage. It may be worn along with a shirt or kurta,
and Dhoti is often substituted with trousers.
 ANTHRA PRADESH

Dresses of Andhra Pradesh are Saree and Blouse for women, and Dhoti and Kurta
for men. The women of all communities together with Muslims wear Sarees and
blouses. The skill of draping the saree is in itself an expression of a woman`s
creativity. Some Muslim women also put on Salwar, Kameez Dupatta. Among the
Hindus and Christians men usually wear a Dhoti and Kurta. The Muslims in general
wear pyjamas instead of dhotis and kurta and the Fez cap, which though is not so
common now.
UTTAR PRADESH
•Uttar Pradesh is a huge state with immense diversity in its culture, people and
region.
• The costumes worn by the people are basically guided by geographical
considerations. For the women, sari is the basic and the most graceful form of
dress.
•The saree is draped in different styles in the cities and in the villages of the hills.
• Salwar suit, lehangas, shararas, and gararas, the flairy parallel trouser-like dress,
worn over long kurtas are also popular in the state, especially among the Muslim
women. Western dress is also gaining popularity among young people and the
working class.
•The men of the region wear kurta-payjamas and dhoti-kurta while the most
common dress now is the trouser and shirt.
UNIT-5 TRADITIONAL TEXTILES OF INDIA
Brocades of Banaras
•The very name Banaras conjures up a vision of silk-rich, rare and highly prized.
• Lustrous silk are embellished with gold and silver threads. For this reason it is
customary for brides in many parts of India to wear a Banaras sari for wedding
ceremony.
•. The brocades are most gorgeous and highly ornamental of all Indian textiles.
•The designs are produced by warp and weft threads of different colours and
materials, suitably woven. The most famous in legend and the history are the
Kinkhabs - woven flowers, veritable cloths of gold.
•The Kinkhabs-A l gold wire which is used to be manufactured mainly in Banaras.
•.Banaras brocade saris were once famous for Shikargarh brocades, which were
considered to be master-pieces of weaver's art
•Patola saris are made in Patan, Gujart, India.
•They are very popular for their silk saris. These expensive saris were once worn by
royalty and aristocracy.
•Velvet patola styles are also made in Surat.
•The weave is a double ikat, usually made from silk. 
•Patola-weaving is a closely guarded family tradition. There are three families left in
Patan that weave these highly prized double ikat saris. It can take six months to
one year to make one sari.
•Patola saris from Patan are renowned for their colorful diversity and geometrical
style. To create a patola sari, both the warp and weft threads are tie-dyed
according to the desired pattern on the final woven fabric.
 BALUCHARI
•Baluchar Sari  is a type of sari, a garment worn by women
across India and Bangladesh.
•This particular type of sari originated in Bengal and is known for depictions of
mythological scenes on the pallu of the sari.
•It is mainly produced in Murshidabad and producing one sari takes approximately
one week or more. The Baluchari Sari has been granted the status of Geographical
indication in India.
•Baluchar saris often had depictions from scenes of Mahabharat and Ramayana.
During the Mughal and British eras, they had a square design in the pallu with a
feather motif in them.
•The main material used is silk and the sari is polished after weaving.
Kalamkari 
or Qalamkari is a type of hand-painted or block-printed cotton textile, produced in
parts of India. The word is derived from the Persian words kalam pen
and kari (craftmanship), meaning drawing with a pen.
•The Machilipatnam Kalamkari craft made at Pedana near by Machilipatnam
in Krishna district, Andhra Pradesh, evolved with patronage of the Mughals and
the Golconda sultanate.
•There are two distinctive styles of kalamkari art in India - one,
the Srikalahasti style and the other, the Machilipatnam style of art.
•The Srikalahasti style of Kalamkari, wherein the "kalam" or pen is used for free
hand drawing of the subject and filling in the colours, is entirely hand worked.
•Tie-dye is a process of tying and dyeing a piece of fabric or cloth which is made
from knit or woven fabric, usually cotton; typically using bright colors.
•Tie-dyeing is accomplished by folding the material into a pattern, and binding it
with string or rubber bands. 
•Dye is then applied to only parts of the material. The ties prevent the entire
material from being dyed. Designs are formed by applying different colors of
dyes to different sections of the wet fabric.
•Although many different kinds of dyes may be used, most tie-dyers now dye
with Procion MX fiber reactive dyes.
•The Kashmiri embroidery commonly known with its traditional name “Kashidakari”.
•This embroidery is beautiful as Kashmir itself. Kashmir is a beautiful plae in
northern India, known for its natural beauty.
• Kashmir embroidery and shawls are well known for the beauty of color, texture
and design.
•The motifs used in kashmiri embroidery is mostly taken from nature.
•Bird motifs used are parrot, canary, woodpecker and kingfisher.
•Floral motifs used are iris, lotus, lily, tulip and saffronflower.
•The Chinar leaf is an important motif. Butterfly designs are also found.
•Fabric used for doing kashmiri embroidery are silk, wool, cotton, and threads used
are wool and silk.
•Kantha is a type of embroidery popular in West Bengal. The use of kantha is
popular in "Kantha saris" traditionally worn by women in Bengal.
•Kantha stitching is also used to make simple quilts, commonly known as Nakshi
Kantha.
• Women in Bengal typically use old saris and cloth and layer them with kantha
stitch to make a light blanket, throw or bedspread, especially for children.
• Kantha is very popular with tourists visiting Bengal and is a specialty of Bolpur.
• The traditional form of Kantha embroidery was done with soft dhotis and saris,
with a simple running stitch along the edges.
•The embroidered cloth has many uses including women's shawls and covers for
mirrors, boxes, and pillows.
•The stitching on the cloth gives it a slight wrinkled, wavy effect.
CHAMBA RUMAL
•Chamba is a part of Himachal Pradesh, The stlye of painting influenced the
emboidery of the place and maybe considered as needle painting.
•Fabric- used is Tussai or fine cotton faric, it is white or cream in colour. The cloth
is generally unleached and thus appears off- white in colour.
• Material used is hand spun thin fabric like Malmal or hand spun hand woven
khaddar. Machine made cloth is also used which remains unbleached.
• colors used are many and vary. Blue was predominant in earlier samples. Other
colors are green orange and yellow.
•The embroidery appears same on both sides. The intricacy of the work on both
sides of the fabric is such that you cannot tell the right side from the wrong. Stem
Stitch is used when necessary and buttonhole stitch is used to finish the edges.
•Chikankari - the process of chikan - was basically invented in Lucknow. It
developed quickly during the period when the Mughals ruled and consisted of styles
inspired by Persians.
• Lucknow grew into an international market for its renowned Chikankari work.
• Chikankari is a delicate and artfully done hand embroidery on a variety of textile
fabric like muslin, silk, chiffon, organza, net etc.
• White thread is embroidered on cool, pastel shades of light muslin and cotton
garments.
• Nowadays chikan embroidery is also done with coloured and silk threads in
different colours to meet the recent fashion trends and keep chikankari trendy with
fashion. 
•The cloth used in Chikan Embroidery is usually super fine cotton, muslin and linen.
Now all the fabric used is mill-made, and cotton polyester mixtures and thin silk are
used in addition to cotton.
•Phulkari, a rural tradition of handmade embroidery, literally meaning " flower work
", was perpetuated by the women of Punjab (North-west India & Pakistan) during
the 19th century and till the beginning of the 20th century.
•The word phulkari usually indicates the shawl that was loomed and embroidered to
cover women's heads (Sikh temple).
•Embroidery work was invariably made on a plain cotton fabric (khaddar) whose
thread was manually spinned, loomed and dyed with natural pigments.
•Khaddar could be of four colours, white being given to mature women or widows
while red was associated with youth and was by far the most widespread tone.
•The complete khaddar was always made of two or three stripes which were
approximately 50cm wide.
•The embroidery was made on the wrong side of the khaddar with a thread of floss
silk called pat. Pat was red-coloured to symbolize passion, white for purity, golden
or yellow for desire and abundance, green for nature and fertility, blue for serenity,
purple for a symbiosis between red's energy and blue's calm, orange for a mix of
desire and divine energy.
 BIBLIOGRAPHY

•http://www.ehow.com/info_8516619_neolithic-clothing-types.html
•http://www.wfsd.k12.ny.us/webquests/Paleolithic%20and%20Neolithic%20Era_fil
es/page0003.htm
•http://www.slideshare.net/geeta1967/dresses-of-india
•http://www.crystalinks.com/induscivilization.html
•http://www.indianetzone.com/51/costumes_indus_valley_civilisation.htm
•http://www.speakingwithhands.com/article_details.php?aid=83
•https://www.google.co.in/search?
q=Patola&newwindow=1&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=fs97UrLJOMW
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•http://www.designdiary.nic.in/handcrafted_textiles/Handcrafted_Textiles_Saris_B
anaras_Brocade.html
•http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tie-dye
•www.art-of-threads.com
•http://vibhavari.hubpages.com/hub/Indian-embroidery-Chikankaari-of-Uttar-
Pradesh
•https://www.boundless.com/art-history/south-and-southeast-asia-after-
1200/india/nayak-dynasty/