Stage One: Vedic to Modern India

When I said I needed to "dig deep" into the history of  Indian clothing, I honestly had no idea how deep. It has taken me two weeks to shovel my way back to the surface! Every information fascinated me and had me digging for more. I did not intend to study ancient clothing like a historian or even an anthropologist would, because that would mean looking at the garment and the wearer as two separate entities. As Tarlo did in her study, I also try to avoid the term and concept of "costume" as it does just that. Still, it is crucial for me to know the origin of all the forms, colors and textures of clothing that exists today. So I dug away.

VEDIC PERIOD

1700-600 BC

Evidence from vedic texts show two main types of garment during this period:

• ANTARIYA,  a draped lower garment (from the dhoti family)
• UTTARIYA, an upper draped garment (tied in various ways, similar to greek drapes)
• KAYABANDH, a belt used to tie the Antariya in place

MAURYA PERIOD
320- 100 BC

This period saw the birth of the Indian Sub-continent as we know it today. A strong relation to the Greek world was also maintained, starting with the marriage treaty between Chandragupta and the Macedonian princess. National and international trade flourished. The Antariya and Uttariya continued to be worn by all genders, with minor changes. Influences came from the drapes of Jain and Buddhist monks.

source: www.4to40.com

This picture shows a common woman dressed in a draped Antariya, a highly ornate Kayabandh and a headdress. It is also seen that jewelry was of high importance in the woman's ensemble at that time. It marked the societal and marital status of the woman.

KUSHAN PERIOD1st century AD

Kushan king Kanishka first brought Persian influences to the North and North Western region of the sub-continent. We see the first sightings of stitched garments like the pyjama and kurta in this period. 

Headless statue of Kanishka

Source: www.defense.pk

Kushan currency

Source: www.wikipedia.org

The headless statue of Kanishka and old coins of the Kushan era show the king dressed in a stitched tunic, pyjama, and boots. 

GUPTA PERIOD4th- 8th Century AD

This period is referred to as the "Golden Period" of Indian history. Basic cotton and silk were now finely worked upon, with rich borders or embroidery. Prints and hand painted motifs are also found. 

Source: www.4to40.com

From the above recreations of Ajanta Cave paintings, we can see:

• The first versions of the "Angarkha" and "Choli". These were often made with tie-dye techniques. 
• The Antariya is still worn as the lower garment.
• Heavy ornamentations and head gear was used to distinguish between classes, and to develop personal style.

Some other observations of that time:

• Checks, stripes, animal and flower motifs that we see today originated in this period.
• Gold and silver brocades from Benaras were popular
• Dyeing was popular among women's clothing; tie-dye for the uttariya and diagonal stripes and such for the antariya.

It would be interesting to ponder why women began covering their upper bodies. A few reasons have been explored: The coming of fully-clad foreigners, especially princesses, could have made the natives conscious of their nudity. With the uprising of Jainism and Christianity, the concept of the body being "sinful" may have well been behind this new advancement.

Map of Gupta Empire

source: oocities.org

This map shows the extent of the Gupta dynasty at its peak. From this period forward, most of Southern India was governed by rulers independent of the major dynasties of the sub-continent. This, I speculate, is the basis of the major difference in aesthetic and design of the North and the South. 

THE TAMILAKAM~ 4th Century BC to 6th Century AD

The Southern region of India (Modern day Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka), was ruled by the three kingdoms of the Cholas, Cheras and Pandyas.  Later, the Pallava King Simhavishnu captured the Chola region thereby expanding the kingdom to what is now Andhra Pradesh. These rulers, for many years, operated without the influence of foreign rule. 

Map of South India- Sangam Period

Source: www.tamilmirror.com

The Sangam period of Tamil history is best known for its literature; dance and music forms and architecture too flourished during this period. The outline of the lifestyle is thus:

• Strong temple culture. The courtyards were the centre for worship, art forms and entertainment
• Chola Kings gave great importance to education. Temples were the centre for learning too.
• Life was minimal and peaceful. Women were treated with importance. 
• The society was divided into four castes- Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya and Shudra. 

The dress of women continued to be a form of the Antariya and Uttariya, based on their caste. Traces of the Sari (a blend of the two) are also seen. Owing to the climate, fine cottons were worn.

Chola sculpture of woman

Source: www.theukgroup.co.uk

ISLAMIC INVASIONS and MUGHAL EMPIRE
10th - 17th century AD

During the sultanate rule (977-1526 AD), a range of stitched clothing came to surface. It was during this time that the Zamindar system gained strength, resulting in the further stratification of society. The abundance of disposable wealth among this new upper class therefore led to a huge increase in the variety in style, fabric and decoration of clothing.
The Mughal rule arguably left the most visually evident impact on North Indian aesthetic. Although the Persians were first to introduced the Pyjama trouser, it was during this period that the styles and ensembles of the foreigners were truly incorporated into native dress forms. Some additions:

• The Ungia or the Choli (muslim style) : two receptacles for the breasts and a band connecting to the back.
• The Kurta-Pyjama: The Kurta had no sleeves and did not cover the breast, and was worn over the ungia/choli. The pyjama had tight fitted hems. 
• The dupatta: Three yards long and draped over the head and shoulders.
• Rich gold weaves and embroideries; intricate patterns 

Mughal harem scene

Source: www.dollsofindia.com

This picture summarizes the dress and colour sense of the common women of the Mughal period.

The lehenga, choli and dupatta are all shown. The central woman (presumably of higher status) wears the additional garment of the kurta, along with pjyama bottom. The intricate embroidery and prints are a reflection of the details seen in the exquisite Mughal style architecture.

Portrait of a woman

Source: www.exoticindiaart.org

Here, in detail, one can observe the construction of the choli (accentuating the bust); the fine quality of the dupatta cloth; the elaborate jewellery; make- up, and the henna on the woman's hands. It is indicative of the culture of indulgence during the period.

Map of Mughal Empire at its peak

Source: www.wwnorton.com

I have added maps of as many empires as I could, as learning the extent of conquest gives me an idea about how far the influences reached. Of course, this cannot be a definitive measure, but largely can be seen as the cause of differentiation between different regions in terms of clothing.

Means to an end: developing a brief for my term project.

Out of the two options given to me at the beginning of this semester- an advance specialization in a subject of fashion design, and a research project on any area in the field- I picked the latter. These were the factors I considered:

• Where do my strengths lie? Do I want to spend this term trying to improve my weakness, or work my strengths? 
• Which option is more helpful in the long run? That is, which one will help me prep for next term's Final Collection madness?
• By choosing either, am I taking too much on my plate? Will I do justice to it?

My strength has always been in studying, analysing and conceptualising. My weakness lies in the actualising of my vision. Since in my next semester I will invariably end up having to do so, I thought it best to prep for it this term; finish all of my initial research in this stage so that I have enough time to work on my weak areas then.

Once I  had decided this, the next step was to create my own brief- what is it that I want to study, and how? At one point, the answers just came pouring down (don't you just love those moments?) and it looked something like this:

Now, this was just my initial idea. I brought in the factor of "minimalism" because it  has always been a part of my aesthetic, and I've always wondered why it is rarely associated with Indian design. But, on speculating, I realised that this narrows down the scope of my study hugely. I think what I meant to write was, "Basic Expression". To me, this is (what can globally recognised as) somewhat "minimalist". To another Indian woman, it could be extravagant. What does "Identity" mean to her, and how, most simply does she express it through her clothing? 

The plan is vast. I know this. But the fact that I now have an idea of what my final output will be based on is hugely comforting. With the help of my mentor, I have zeroed-in on which part I will spend the next two months working on... It's pretty much at the centre of my map, connected with the all-important double headed arrow.

To truly understand today's woman and her complex visual and personal identities, it is essential for me to dig into the past for the various classifications of and influences on clothing through the history of the country. This, by itself, is a tricky study. How can Indian wear be classified by any one criterion, if the wearer herself cannot? Region, religion, class, caste, economy, culture, society-- don't they each shape the wearer, and therefore the dress? Says Emma Tarlo in her book "Clothing Matters" (a result of her PhD on the subject of dress and identity in India-- my Bible for the project), "..Identities, like classifications, can be multiple and conflicting... in India, a country that is stratified on a number of different levels, the likelihood of wishing to identify with more than one group simultaneously is considerable."

My aim, therefore, is two-fold:

1. To study the evolution of women's wear through the various stages of conquest and colonization in India and the development of post-modern clothing for women;

2. To analyse the "identity" and its expression through clothing, and the change of this through time.

I hope to explore many methods and degrees of approach: reading published material, speaking with those who have knowledge of the subject, visiting museums/organizations/individuals who archive visuals or text on women and/or their clothing, watching films or documentaries, and so on.

I'm a little exhausted just thinking about it...
Until next time,  

How well do I know my country?

I have studied design & fashion for a little over 3 years now. I can confidently give you a brief history of greek or victorian influences on fashion, late 20th century evolution of fashion, and more so about 40s/50s/60s/70s or the current American or European fashion market. But how much have I studied it with relevance to my own land? Why do we dress the way we do? How does my very Palakkad-Tamil Grandmum feel comfortable in the occasional (Punjabi) salwar-kameez, and my Grandad in crisp shirts and a plaid flat cap? How is it that I can be so Indian in my ways, but so western in my sensibilities? No, the last one is misunderstood.
What can be seen on the surface as a completely "mordern-", "urban-" or "western-"ized (words that we city people love to use) aesthetic is, in fact, far from that. It is an amalgam of my roots, my upbringing, my lifestyle, food, books, movies, music, every single day... How can "Indian- ness" then not find its place in my design language, or in my personal style? And then, applying that logic outward, how can "western" fashion and that alone (apart from your occasional Fab/Anokhis) satisfy our youth market? And, conversely, how can we accept the linear concept of "ethnic" fashion? I can (barely) excuse the international fashion industry for often using the term "Indian"  in a general and misguided way (as if only kitschy colours, mirrorwork, dhoti pants and pagdis - that is, all things Rajasthani- represents an entire nation). But how ignorant and/or indifferent do we Indian creators to allow that opinion to be formulated and kept alive, even within the country?

Okay, that's a lot of questions. My hope, through this blog, is to dig deep into the past- ancient, recent or even yesterday, to understand the new language of design in this country. My approach will be multi-disciplinary, as no art can live in isolation.. Internally, I have been searching (consciously or sub-consciously) for as long as my creative life; the purpose of this blog is to externalize and find solutions or, at the very least, some satisfying answers.  I am going to begin with the process of my final year research project. I am open to all comments ranging from appreciative to challenging to downright disagreeing. Let's do this!