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Ladakh

Costumes of Ladakh have a trans-Himalayan impact in it. The national dress of Ladakh is termed as `goncha` which is a practical dress for the harsh cold climate
of Ladakh. Men wear is a distinctly stylish garment. It is a double-breasted calf-length coat. It is cut wide and the extra material is pulled to the back to form two
pleats. It is fastened on the right shoulder and down the right side with brass buttons and loops. The edges of the stand-up collar are piped with silver brocade.
The `gonchas` which are worn by poor people is made from coarse homespun woollen cloth which is a dark shade of maroon.

In formal occasions there are few more stylish garments like a `goncha` in black velvet, silver gleam of piping at the border and collar. The women`s `goncha` is
much more elegant than that worn by men. It has a full skirt with several small pleats which is secured with a bright cummerbund. Older women tie a goatskin
around the shoulders. For formal wear, the outfit is completed by wearing a hat, or by the `perak` which is the traditional head-dress of Ladakh. Silver chains and
strings of coral beads complete the decoration of the head-dress. According to the Ladakhi tradition, the head dresses are the fortune of the women. The women
purchase it and attach more stones to it. This is later passed from mother to daughter through generations. The head dress is much of the appearance of a cap
with ear-flaps. The head dress of the women is straight and the men`s is at a casual angle
Right from the beginning I was always interested in the in tribal and their artefacts. During my travel I always make a point to buy some souvenir
and most of the time my heart is won over by tribal jewellery. There are a lots of brands who have been working on contemporary tribal
jewellery. These brands gives a new perspective to the tribal culture, creatively turning tribal ornaments for high fashion market. Tribal jewelry in
India is quite rich, each tribe has preserved its unique style intact even now. Jewelry that is made of bone, wood, clay, shells and crude metal,
is not only attractive, but also holds a distinct rustic and earthy charm. Tribal jewelry is made of the products that are available locally. The
unrefined look of their jewelry is something that attracts people most.As it has been said each tribe has its own indigenous jewelry craft, which
they have honed over the years. The jewelry of each region is unique and in sync with the eco system.Here is the list of the tribes, with their
jewelry art described in brief.

Rajasthan
The colorful head-wear (pugdi or turban) of men and the gaudy dresses of women provide a wonderful contrast to the bleak environs of the state
of Rajasthan. In the rural villages in Rajasthan, the men wear dhotis, a kind of long fabric without stitches and tied loosel y round the waist, a
waistcoat and shirt and a long piece of brightly coloured fabric on their head tied loosely like a turban. While in cities, the men wear western
dress as dailywear. During ceremonies and celebrations, the city people also wear Kurta and pyjamas, a wonderful dress which unfortunately
has lost its charm in day to day life. These Kurta and Pyjamas are available in all possible colors and designs as per the budget, one can afford.
In Rajasthan, the rural women usually cover their faces with a red or yellow colour odhni or dupatta and wear thick, full-length ghaghara or skirt
of the dark colour such as deep green or dark blue with innumerable pleats and a blouse with colorful designs. They adorn themselves with the
heavy jewellery, earrings, bracelets and rings made mainly of silver, which tinkles and jingles when they grind grain, pound spices or draw
water. Weddings, the birth of children, and festivals are great opportunities to find women dressed in their finery. While in the urban cities, the
women wear the western dress, sarees and salwar kameez. One can also see some people with very high social profile wearing the traditions
dresses at functions and festivals which are made very lavishly.
Jewellery of the People of Rajasthan
A good deal of jewellery is worn by the people of Rajasthan. The Rajputs prefer gold even for their feet, while silver is favoured among the
various tribes who tend to wear rather large quantities of it. How they go about their task weighed down by their kilos of silver is another matter,
but the designs into which it is worked is even more amazing. The people wear these jewels on their foreheads, hair, ears, necks, wrists, waists,
round ankles and on their toes. The village women adorn themselves with the heavy jewellery, earrings, bracelets and rings made mainly of
silver. The ornaments are representative of certain social groups. The higher the caste group, the lighter its use of dress (material and colours)
and ornaments. At the highest scale, fine fabrics and ornaments made of gold are preferred. But in rural areas, silver ornaments are preferred.
Silver jewellery is usually heavier and uses intricate, ethnic designs. Traditional patterns are used for making necklaces, earrings, bangles and
anklets. Rings are worn on fingers and on toes. A newly married woman wear the boron on her head all times, while the kankati or waist-belt,
and bangles of lac and glass continue to enjoy vast patronage. They wear these jewels daily, but on special occasions, they l ook quite stunning
Kerala
Most women wear a saris (a straight piece of cloth draped around the body as a long dress) and short blouses. They place its loose end
over the head or shoulder. Wealthy women may wear saris made of silk, with borders of gold thread. Many of the women in urban areas
wear pyjamas (full trousers) with a long blouse and a veil. Western style of clothing, like jeans and T-shirts are gaining popularity. Like
other Indian women, women in Kerala also wear jewellery, especially earrings and bracelets. Many women also wear a kumkum (round
dot) in the middle of the forehead. The kumkum, which is usually prepared from a red or black powder, is considered a mark of beauty.
Punjab
Dress --- In the urban areas men wear tahmat and a shirt, a pair of pyjamas and a shirt or a piece of pantloons and a shirt in summer and a wollen suit, or a
coat, or chaddar in winter. In the rural areas, men generally wear a tahmat and a shirt or kurta. Among. Bagris and Bishnois, a dhoti and a shirt were
commonly worn, but now the dhoti has been replaced by the tahmat. Pagri (turban) is commonly used by men in the villages. The dress of educated persons is
practically the same in the urban and rural areas.
The dress of women in the urban areas varies from a salwar and a shirt, a blouse and a saree to ghagra and a choli. The school-going girls wear a shirt
with a salwar a shirt with a pair of churidar-pyjama, a mini-shirt with a pair of bell-bottomed trousers. The typical dress of women in the Fazlika in tehsil
comprising a ghagra (a long skirt reaching the ankles) and a small shirt is fast going out of fashion. In the rural areas, women generally wear a salwar and a
shirt. The Bagri and Bishnoi women wear the ghagra with a choli or a shirt and usually cover their face with an orhani (hearwear). The educated and the school
or college-going girls put on the same dress as their counterparts in the urban areas.
Gold Jewelry Gold has remained the most valuable as well as the most prominent metal for making ornaments. It was
procured from several sources. The English, Australian and European gold was termed locally as passa and it came in the form
of a lump or ingot. Panna or patra is the gold in the form of leaves. When old ornaments are melted down and sold in lump
they appear in various sizes and shapes with various rates, and is known as desi passa.
Several types of coins used to be melted and then made into ornaments in Punjab, such as Russian mohar, Jaipur mohar and
ashrafi, Dutch ducats, Aurangzeb mohar, old mohars of Murshedabad and Farrukhebad etc. Russian gold was imported largely
in the shape of five-rouble pieces, known as battis. The purest gold of all is known as kundan and is used for beating out gold
leaves. It is also very generally used in setting stones, whence the seller of stones or murassakar is often known as
kundansaz.
Silver Jewelry- After gold, the next metal of priority was the silver. The only source of its local availability was Waziri
Rupi Mines in Kulu, which have now been worked for many decades. Most of the. silver, therefore, was imported from Europe
into Amritsar via Bombay. Chinese silver was also imported. The coin most commonly melted for silver was the Nanakshahi or
Sikh rupee, the silver of which was very commonly used for ornaments. More modern Sikh coins were known to the trade as
Rajshahi and mainly represented by Patiala coinage. The Nandrami rupee from Kabul was used in the western districts, and
was considered the next best silver after the Nanakshahi. Shah Shujas and Dost Muhammads coins were also held to be the
best and were much in use in making ornaments on the frontier. Silver prepared from melted ornaments was also in use.
Sunar / Goldsmith- The gold and silver work, as far as the plain form of the article required, or as far as it can receive
the required pattern by merely hammering on to a die or into a cold mould, is done by the sunar or goldsmith. If the ornament
has then to be ornamented with bossed patterns, it goes to the chatera, the embosser and chaser. If jewels are to be set, the
enameling at the back is done by a minakar, and then the stone is set into the places prepared by the goldsmith by the
marassiakar or kundansaz, whose sole work consists in putting some lac into the receptacle or hollow in the gold prepared to
receive the stone, putting on a tinsel or foil prepared by the bindligar and then pressing in the stone, putting an a gold rim to
keep it in place.
Who can resist the spell that is cast by the sparkle of a precious stone, by the mysterious glow of a pearl, or by the
transcendent purity of gold . It has been said the purpose of ornaments is to light a kind of fire in a
womens heart, it is, therefore, equally important to get ornaments made of pure metal.


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Maharashtra
Jewellery in Maharashtra
Maharashtra business directory providing a comprehensive database of Maharashtra Jewellery Manufacturers Exporters Suppliers Wholesalers & Distributors.
Maharashtra and all world Buyers can find the catalogs of Jewellery manufacturers exporters also post your Requirement to Sellers. Find Jewellery Buy Sell Offers
dresses at Maharashtra B2b Marketplace
Maharashtra is a land of unique culture and traditions. In congruence with the myriad Fairs and festivals that form part of the lives of common people, there are
different types of costumes wore by these people on theses occasions. The costumes, in fact, vary from one festive occasion to the other. The daily wear of men
and women are strikingly different from those that are set for special events.
The costumes of Maharashtra are the reflection of its culture. In order to cater to the needs of this populous state, the textile industry in Maharashtra has grown on
a full fledged scale. There is a rich variety in the color and textures of the attires of both men and women. The costumes are well suited to the hot and
humid Climate of the state.
As Maharashtra is a vast state, the people of this colourful state wears different types of costumes, take different cuisines, has different forms of dances and music
according to the physical features of their locality. Generally, men wear dhoti and pheta in olden days, while women wear choli and saree. But with the change of
time, young Maharashtrians too are fast attracting to the latest fashions imported from the western countries.
The mouth watering Konkan and Varadi cuisines would kill any visitor's appetite. Although, Maharashtrian cuisines are a bit strong in pepper and spice, but it is the
speciality of the dishes of this state that world knows about. And everybody knows about the unbeatable taste of the Mumbai chaats.
The dance forms like Povada, Lavani and Koli with mesmerizing music and rhythmic movements entertain the Maharashtrians. Dhangri Gaja, Dindi, Kala and
Tamasha are the folk dances that attach to the heart of the people of this state.
Foot Wear In past days, generally people of wheat and cotton growing areas wear shoes, but were less common in the rice growing areas. Women go bare-footed,
but sometimes have sandals in the past days.
For Festive Occasions There is no special dress for any special holidays, celebrations or family get-togethers in Maharashtra. One can wear anything, which they
afford to, and it depends on their choice and financial conditions.
Jewellery As Maharashtra is the land of Marathas and Peshwas, women wear traditional jewelleries derived from these two dynasties. Another very much popular
jewellery for the Marathi women is Kolhapuri saaj, a special type of necklace.
Men Wear Men wear dhoti with a shirt known as the pheta in Maharashtra. They also wear headdress, which is a folded cap of made of cotton, silk or woolen cloth.
It can also be a freshly folded turban known as rumal, patka, phet. Pagadi, the prepared form of turban was also used to wear, but it is rarely used this days.
Women Wear Women in Maharashtra wear saree, which is nine yards in length and a short-sleeved blouse, which is also known as choli. The choli covers about
only the half part of the torso. Generally, this is the costume of elderly Marathi women.

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