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Book Review
Evolution of costumes down the ages
KAUSALYA SANTHANAM
INDIAN COSTUMES: Anamika Pathak; Roli Books, M-75, G. K. II Market, New Delhi-110048.
Colourful and diverse, Indian costumes have dazzled the world for centuries. This book makes “an attempt… to understand the development of Indian costumes for men and women in general, and in some elite groups, on the basis of extant literature and art.”
A brief historical overview of the evolution of Indian costumes including hairstyles, headdresses and jewellery, and the several factors — religious, cultural and geographic — that influenced them, are given, beginning with the time of the Indus Civilisation. The development is traced from the evidence obtained from sculpture, painting and literature. Various invasions and influences contributed to the rich synthesis of styles between the indigenous and the foreign. The author touches briefly on the various eras. The Vedic period followed by the Maurya and Sunga periods, the Satavahana, Kushan, Gupta, post-Gupta, Pallava, Chola, Mughal, Vijayanagar, and the post-Mughal are covered.
Regional costumes
The author points out how the Mughal period with its rich and lavishly embroidered and woven, garments— the varied coats (“chogas”, “angharkhas”, “jamas”), the stone-studded jewellery and turbans — left a permanent impact on the sartorial styles, especially of the northern region. The sub-continent is of course known for its drapes for men and women, the versatile “sari” and the “dhoti”, which lend themselves admirably to the climate of a tropical region. But the book focusses more on the stitched costumes and the “sari” figures among the highlights dealt with in brief.
After the historical sketch, the author goes on to deal with costumes in the various regions. Women’s costume in general receives less attention than the men’s, maybe because the emphasis is more on the stitched wear.
References to the tunics and coats, the “leghenga/ghagra-choli”, “pyjama kurta”, “salwar-kammez”, “dhoti” and the “sari” recur because of the usage. Though the account is comprehensive, there is much repetition owing to the overlapping of the costumes in the different states, so much so, it becomes a jumble of images for the reader. In the section on the south, though the grandeur of the Kanchipurams comes across through the group photo, the other one of an elderly couple of Tamil Nadu is a debatable choice of visual that does not do justice to the richness of the region.
The visuals feature an endless number of brocaded and embroidered coats in comparison with the garments for women. The lovely pink and gold “lehenga-choli” ensemble of the 20th century however captures the continuity of costume and craft traditions in the country.
Well-illustrated
The placing of the photographs is good and does not interfere with the text. The highlights of the book are the pages in black interspersed in the volume at intervals. There are brief descriptions of the Harshacharita which describes the garments worn during the reign of Emperor Harshvardhana, and of the Ain-i-Akbari which provides invaluable details of the imperial wardrobe during Akbar’s rule. Interesting glimpses are offered about “Khilat”, the robe of honour, presented to favoured individuals by Mughal rulers, and there are couplets on the “Kapad Battisi”: 32 fabrics.
The style is simple and unadorned. The selection of the photographs and the size of the book do not make for visual magnificence. But the compact book puts together details neatly and meticulously. This makes it a handy reference book for those who would like to acquaint themselves with the history of Indian costumes and the costumes in vogue in the various states.
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