THE PEOPLE

DRESS

The dress of the people has undergone a considerable change during the last half century or so. Many of the old costumes are disappearing and others have greatly changed, and attained a new form. The contact with the Britishers has led to a new era in the dress pattern, and costumes like a pair of trousers, shirts, open neck coats, frocks, etc., have come into vogue. The rising generation is very particular about wearing neat apparel because often a man is judged by his appearance and clothing.

The common lower garment for males continues to be the dhoti both in villages and the towns as well. A dhoti is a white cloth usually 45 to 50 inches in width and 4½ to 5 yards in length with a narrow coloured border on each of the lengthwise sides. Mill-made dhotis from the textile centres in Maharastra viz., Bombay, Nagpur, Solapur, Jalganv, Sangli, etc., are widely used. Handloom dhotis are also used. Khaddar dhotis are very costly and so are not popular. Other items of man's wear are the traditional angarakha (a loose sleeved full-shirt without hand-cuffs or a collar and with a close-fitted neck), and a patka (i.e., cloth with a width of a span used as head-dress), a rumal or turban. Well-to-do agriculturists are seen using patka of red or pink silk-cloth. The angarakha is now being replaced by a shirt and the patka or rumal by a cap. A head dress is a necessary part of a bride-groom's dress and for all auspicious occasions for others. Those who afford wear coats. Young men in rural areas have started using pyjamas, half-pants and ganjis or shirts-Special type of country shoes called (cadhav) are commonly worn by young men. Some have now taken to wearing chappals an" shoes. Women and children, whenever they have any, invariably wear chappals.

As compared to the rural dress pattern, its urban counterpart shows a wide variety. Trousers, shirts and bush-shirts have now been adopted by the office-going people, businessmen and students. Pyjamas are worn in houses and for casual wear. Trousers prove cheaper in the long run as they last for a longer time than dhotis. No wonder that trousers and pyjamas are replacing dhotis to a considerable extent. The rising generation is seen taking to trousers and continuing wearing it. Bush-shirts are becoming popular. Suits and neck-ties are used on special occasions or by those who can afford.

The old head-dress in the form of a patka or rumal is not favoured by the younger generation. Generally, they go bareheaded and at times use hats. Close-cropped hair and a top-knot are disappearing. In towns, shoes and sandals are common foot-wear for males.

The most common wear for a Hindu lady is the full Maratha sari of nine yards called a lugade. The sari has borders on lengthwise called kath and at both ends along its width called padar. Saris from Solapur and Sirsilla are commonly worn by the women in the district. All women wear colis made of khans (bordered handloom cloth) or of chintz (printed cloth). Young women irrespective of their communities have started wearing saris of five or six yards. Such a sari is worn over a petti-coat (parkar) and blouses with long sleeves and low neckcuts. Some women draw the end of their Sari over their heads and others from one shoulder over to the other covering the back completely, as a mark of modesty and respect. Now-a-days, young girls are not so particular about this. Widowed women give up wearing goddy clothes, and for them green colour is a taboo. Certain colours are used on specific occasions e.g. yellow by the bride, green sari and glass bangles by a newly-married and by a woman who is carrying, black for the first sankrant after marriage.

On special occasions like marriage or other festivals more ceremonial dresses are put on. Among such paithanis and beautiful gold-bordered saris woven in fine silk or mercerised cotton yarn are popular. Saris of Ilkal, Nagpur, Solapur, and Poona are well-known. Blouses and colis of silk and of gold-bordered fine cloth are used with such saris. A short bordered silk cloth called mukta (meant for females) and pitambar (meant for males) is used in worship and other religious functions. But these ceremonial dresses are the privilege of the well-to-do. Middle class women have hardly one or two saris for such occasions. A woman from poor class has no special dress except one given to her in her marriage.

All Hindu women wear bangles and married women wear glass bangles. All Hindu girls and unwidowed women wear a red mark (called kunku) on their foreheads between their eye-brows. The red mark is either round or oval-shaped as is customary. Muslim and Christian women do not sport such a mark.

Tattooing is customary among womenfolk in rural areas. Formerly, forearms and foreheads, and chins were tattooed. This harsh practice is now disappearing.

Babies, are usually clothed in jhabale and angade and langot (wrappers) to cover up loins. Jackets (called bandis of wool) protect baby's chest. Bonnets of different styles (galote, topade) cover their head and ears. As a baby grows up to two or three years old, a girl is dressed in a frock locally called as jhaga and a boy in halt shirt and half-pant. Girls of eight or ten years wear parkars (petti-coats with frilled ends) and polkas (blouses) For daily use, parkars of chintz are made. Now-a-days frocks, skirts and blouses are becoming popular.

Bush-shirts became popular among office-goers and recently a variety of men's garments (T-shirts, jerkins, manilas, etc.) were made in a variety of cloth. With a steady growth in the textile art, there is to be found an immense variety in the design, colour-combination and texture of the cloth.

Urban and rural apparel yet shows a marked difference. In villages, clothes which require less soap for washing are generally used. Women's and children's garments are usually washed without soap. Cutting and outfitting also receive less attention at the hands of the village tailor. Dhobis are rarely engaged.