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Celebrating Diwali with style & panache

dna does a style check on various communities and their special attires to usher in Diwali

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Diwali is all about colour and that is not just restricted to colourful firecrackers and twinkling lights! Traditionally, various communities wear special attire on Diwali and these vibrant costumes are part of a long-standing tradition that has continued down the ages.

The vibrant, eye-catching, traditional attire that people wear during the festival of lights is more colourful than fireworks and brighter than the twinkling lights and diyas that sparkle around us.

And, every community is dressed in its own grand, unique and traditional apparel on this occasion.

Right from the Pathaani kurta of the Sindhi men to the Paithani saree draped by Maharashtrian women and the Kanjivaram silk saree donned by Tamil women, every community has a distinct dress that is typically bright with varied hues to be specially worn on Diwali.

Tamil
Traditional attire:
Women are draped in Kanchipuram silk sarees, young girls wear half-saree or Pavadai, while men dress in a traditional silk dhoti and shirt.

Apart from their gold ornaments, something else brightens up the Diwali attire of Tamil women. It is their traditional Kanchipuram silk saree, which is very popular in Tamil Nadu.

A typical outfit from Tamil Nadu, the Kanchipuram silk sari (also known as a Kanjivaram silk sari) is common among Tamil women on Diwali and adds a unique and festive spirit to the celebrations.

“During Diwali, traditional outfits are gifted by our elders. On this day, we wake up early, seek the blessings of our elders and get special gifts from them,” said V Valarivan, a Tamil and a resident
of Khokhra.

Maharashtrian
Traditional attire:
Women in Paithani and Nav-Vaari saree; men in traditional kurta-pyjama with topi.

Maharashtrians are truly dressed for the occasion during Diwali. In Maharashtra, a Paithani saree or a Nav-Vaari saree is considered to be one of the richest and most apt for special occasions since they are made of pure silk.

“For a festive occasion like Diwali, Maharashtrian women believe in wearing a Paithani silk saree, a Maharashtrian speciality. Similarly, men dress up in kurta-pyjama with a cotton topi,” said Maharashtrian Dhaval Vartak, scientist/engineer attached to ISRO.

According to common belief, men should not be bare headed. They should wear a topi while doing pooja and aarti on Diwali day as covering one’s head during pooja is considered auspicious.

Womenfolk of the Vartak community in Maharashtra also flaunt their nath (a nose-ring made of moti) and tanmani, a typical moti necklace, usually worn by Maharashtrian women during Diwali.

Sindhi
Traditional attire:
Traditional Sindhi saree for women and a Sindhi Pathani kurta for men.

The Sindhi community has one of the most unique and unusual Diwali attires. Boasting of a distinct design and style, the Sindhi Pathani kurta, which is available in the markets of Kubernagar, Noblenagar and Sardarnagar in Ahmedabad, stands out.

“We wear a special saree called a Sindhi saree for Diwali with different types of embroideries and designs on it. We buy sarees of bright colours and use our imagination to weave distinctive patterns that are traditional Sindhi embroideries and designs,” said Meena Shahdadpuri, a Sindhi of Kubernagar.

Not many, though, know the art of embroidering such a special Sindhi pattern on a saree and, according to Meena, just a handful of tailors on Relief Road, for example, are well versed in such traditional embroidery and designs.

Men, on the other hand, dress up in their Sindhi Pathani kurta-pyjama. A Sindhi kurta is slightly different and of course, more attractive than a normal Pathani kurta. It is the jacket and the cap, both specially embroidered, to complement the kurtas.

Gujarati
Traditonal attire:
Silk bandhani saree or a Patola saree for women; while men wear kurta-pyjama.

The rich tradition and culture of the state is clearly visible from the vibrant and traditional outfits worn during celebrations. Ranging from cotton bandhani to silk bandhani to Patola sarees and ethnic kurta-pyjama for men, Gujaratis know how to celebrate Diwali in a hatke style well.

“During Diwali, we decorate our houses and our outfits comprise primarily of ethnic clothes like a silk bandhani and similar traditional attires for men, paired with matching or colourful ornaments,” said Harish Rawal, a resident of the Satellite area.

Rajasthani
Traditional attire:
Women wear a Laal-peeli saree plus a ‘choondadi’ and men kurta-pyjama.

The Rajasthani community, especially Agrawals, drape themselves in a very brightly coloured saree, popularly known as a Laal-peeli saree.

“The Rajasthani community considers it auspicious to wear red and yellow sarees during Diwali.

Because of this reason, Rajasthani women prefer such bright-coloured sarees, which are available mostly in Rajasthan,” said Meena Bhakkar, a Rajasthani and a resident of Ambawadi.

Apart from the Laal-peeli saree, women also cover their shoulders with a choondadi, a small red-colour scarf or stole, considered quite auspicious for Diwali.

Rajasthani men follow the custom of wearing kurta-pyjama with traditional embroidery or some heavy designs on the kurta.

Kannadiga
Traditional attire:
Women in silk saree; men in kurta-pyjama with topi Kannadigas celebrate Diwali by proudly turning out in their special festive attires. While the men dress in traditional kurta-pyjama and topi, women dress up in silk saree and decked in traditional gold jewellery.

“This day, women in our family wear Ilkal silk sarees, which are typical to Karnataka and men wear kurta-pyjama with our age-old traditional topi for the aarti,” said BS Almel, a Kannadiga resident of Satellite, while speaking about celebrations at home.

Besides the Ilkal saree, Kannadiga women also drape themselves in Mysore silk and Nav-vaari silk sarees. The womenfolk also consider it auspicious to wear a gajra or a band of flowers in their hair.

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