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Costumes as skin

‘Indian Costumes’ by Anamika Pathak tells us much about ourselves

Status Symbol A Kashmiri choga

Beetle wings dazzle between gold threads in a turban band. Genuine peacock feathers are used to embellish the plume of an embroidered peacock. These two examples merely hint at the richness of the Indian textile tradition.

’Indian Costumes’ by Anamika Pathak, published by Roli Books, is a history of this tradition. Pathak, the deputy curator (Decorative Arts and Textiles) at the National Museum, New Delhi, used two decades of experience, and the museum collection to create a book that demonstrates how costumes establish cultural identities.

While regional styles might differ, the love affair with colour and craftsmanship continues.

The text is interspersed with pictures. Drawing from other visual media such as sculpture and painting, the book chronicles the development of Indian costumes from the Indus Civilisation (2600 – 1400 B.C.) to the post-Mughal period (18th-19th centuries). Flipping through the book, today’s fashion can be seen in 200-year-old clothes. Pathak hopes the book will benefit both students and the museum itself. The National Museum’s collection of over 500 costumes is not well known. The earliest garment dates back to the early 18th Century. Pathak hopes this book will help publicise the collection. Pathak says that today textile conservation is on the rise. “Since it is organic material, it is very difficult to conserve materials and fabrics. Each requires a specific treatment.” Conservation is a complex procedure.

All fabrics have to be protected from UV rays, but zari has to be protected from moisture too. To conserve certain delicate embroidery, net is attached at the back. Darning has to be masterful enough to be invisible.

And, then dating. “It is a lengthy process. You look at the fabric, the technique. And then compare it with paintings and sculptures to deduce the time period.”

NANDINI NAIR

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