01-18-2007, 09:21 AM
(This post was last modified: 01-18-2007, 09:28 AM by Bharatvarsh.)
Mudy thanks for the info, yes I knew that Sari is not very popular in those states, that is why down south salwar kameez is also sometimes called as Punjabi dress, in South India Sari is worn by all women especially in villages.
But I was wondering how salwar came into India, I read that it reached India with Islamic influence and looking at the men's version of this that Muslim men wear it appears true, so I think sari or other native dress such as ghagra was replaced during Muslim rule, kinda like how dhoti is disappearing even in rural Punjab (if my info from my Punjabi friend is right) and is being replaced by the men's salwar worn commonly by Muslim men.
Here is some info I found (don't know how accurate it is):
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->The fabric has its origin in the 16thcentury; its first patrons were the fair and well endowed women of the rugged land of Afghanistan. It was primarily, introduced by them to ward off the fierce dust storms that are a common sight in their nation. In addition to this, the fabric also presented them in a look which suited them to the hilt and nicely. Its journey across the frontiers of its land of origin has been a fascinating one. How the same came to India is something a classic one.
The Mughal dynasty ruled the roost in the Indian heartland during the 17thand 18thcenturies and their long reign brought about a total transformation of the Indian society. Some of their offerings were oppressive and repulsive, and at the same time some were truly gems, which have stuck on till date. Salwar Kameez, elegant attire was one such gem left behind by them. Those days it was confined to the Muslim women population. With the arrival of the Britishers in the late 18thcentury the fabric saw a slow fade out and was relegated to the background.
Its sudden revival in the late 1950s and the early 1960s by the glamour brigade of Hindi filmdom spawned its rebirth again. Well-known glamour dolls of that era (very correctly described as a rollicking and fun era) Saira Banu, Sadhana. Nanda and Asha Parekh led the way and took it to every reach of India. Who can forget their prancing and romantic dialling with their soul mates in Hindi film after film of that golden era? Hindi movies as everyone knows are a chord, which binds the entire nation, and getting the attire famous in them transported its reach faster and much better. It was a revival, initially confined to Kashmir and Punjab it really took off in the early 1980s, spread to other parts of India and never looked back since then. Over the passage of years the attire has become more refined, richer and more sophisticated.
http://hydepages.com/articles/10_1.html<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
But I was wondering how salwar came into India, I read that it reached India with Islamic influence and looking at the men's version of this that Muslim men wear it appears true, so I think sari or other native dress such as ghagra was replaced during Muslim rule, kinda like how dhoti is disappearing even in rural Punjab (if my info from my Punjabi friend is right) and is being replaced by the men's salwar worn commonly by Muslim men.
Here is some info I found (don't know how accurate it is):
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->The fabric has its origin in the 16thcentury; its first patrons were the fair and well endowed women of the rugged land of Afghanistan. It was primarily, introduced by them to ward off the fierce dust storms that are a common sight in their nation. In addition to this, the fabric also presented them in a look which suited them to the hilt and nicely. Its journey across the frontiers of its land of origin has been a fascinating one. How the same came to India is something a classic one.
The Mughal dynasty ruled the roost in the Indian heartland during the 17thand 18thcenturies and their long reign brought about a total transformation of the Indian society. Some of their offerings were oppressive and repulsive, and at the same time some were truly gems, which have stuck on till date. Salwar Kameez, elegant attire was one such gem left behind by them. Those days it was confined to the Muslim women population. With the arrival of the Britishers in the late 18thcentury the fabric saw a slow fade out and was relegated to the background.
Its sudden revival in the late 1950s and the early 1960s by the glamour brigade of Hindi filmdom spawned its rebirth again. Well-known glamour dolls of that era (very correctly described as a rollicking and fun era) Saira Banu, Sadhana. Nanda and Asha Parekh led the way and took it to every reach of India. Who can forget their prancing and romantic dialling with their soul mates in Hindi film after film of that golden era? Hindi movies as everyone knows are a chord, which binds the entire nation, and getting the attire famous in them transported its reach faster and much better. It was a revival, initially confined to Kashmir and Punjab it really took off in the early 1980s, spread to other parts of India and never looked back since then. Over the passage of years the attire has become more refined, richer and more sophisticated.
http://hydepages.com/articles/10_1.html<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->