Dupattas

Have you seen the way a really attractive woman sometimes leaves or enters a room; with a swish and a swirl of her beautiful dupatta? That colourful swathe of cloth thrown around the shoulders can sometimes be the most important element in a salwar-kameez or churidar-kurta ensemble. Dupattas do add a certain something to the whole look of an ethnic ensemble, especially when it comes to bridal dupattas.

The Dupatta is an unavoidable accessory along with salwar kameez. Indian fashion dupatta cannot be considered as a traditional wear any more since it has found a place in the arena of fashion world. Dupatta is known by different names like chunari (in Gujarat), leharia (in Rajasthan), dhathu (in Himachal Pradesh) and the chador (in Assam). If chickan-kari is the offering of Lucknow’s craftsmen to the field of fashion, kantha work finds roots in West Bengal. North Indian ladies drape this attire over their heads while they go to temples to offer prayers. But it is not a custom among South Indians. Even today rural women cover their head with a shawl called chunaria showing respect towards elders. The main advantage of Dupatta is that it can fit well with most of the wardrobes, irrespective of classic ethnic or trendy Indo western style. Actually ethnic costumes will never be complete without a dupatta.

The role of a Dupatta is to add grace to the garment. They are available in all bright and radiant colors. They look more attractive with beautiful beads and mirror work on them. When the word Dupattas is mentioned the first name that enters our mind is Lal Dupattas of Rajasthan. These Rajasthani dupattas, red in color, are simply enchanting especially when worn on white color salwar suits. The elegant tie and die prints, known as Laharia provide the magic charm to the Lal Dupattas. Heavy bridal dupattas have never gone out of fashion. Bridal dupattas usually have embroidery works done on them using golden threads. Dupattas worn on religious functions and very special occasions like chunni charana which is a very special wedding ceremony among the Punjabi community; are also specially designed.

But it is in the traditional standing dupatta of Hyderabad that the bridal dupatta has come into its full beauty. Mughal Empress Noor Jehan called Persian and Turkish craftsmen to India in the 17th century, and they passed the secret art of crafting royal dupatta dresses only to their descendants. Later the begums of Nizams of Deccan adapted the original Mughal style, especially in the form of khada dupattas (The khada dupatta is a traditional outfit composed of a kurta, chooridaar and six-yard dupatta, and is traditionally worn by Hyderabad brides).

Draping styles of dupatta have evolved paving ways for new fashion trends. Many ladies drape the dupatta over both shoulders with the central portion covering the chest. Some will fold it neatly lengthwise and attire it only on one shoulder. Modern stylish ladies let their gorgeous dupattas hang around their arms. The dupatta has come a long way from traditional fashion to the fashionable scarf. For the great ultimate feel of Indian dress and western style fashion, it is complete magic of this gorgeous accessory.

From the pristine white cotton dupattas of yore to flowing chiffons from France, this piece of garment has become more than just a cover and cultural more. Dupatta is both a fashion statement and an adornment. Over the years it has undergone many transformations and changes. What began as a shoulder mantle or wrap for protection against the sun and cold soon found other uses as well. Dupatta, or a long piece of cloth to wrap round the head, face and body, was useful in allowing movement and at the same time concealed the body. Then came a veritable explosion of designs and colours.

Dupatta is ubiquitous; it knows no hierarchy and is worn by girls and women of all ages, class and status. However, the only difference is in the material used and the embellishment, if any. Dupattas are made of all varieties of fabrics, natural and man-made. They are made of coarse and loosely woven cottons and the finest muslins, of delicate chiffons and shimmering silks. They are woven using intricate weaving and colouring methods such as ikats, jamawars, jamdanis, etc., or embroidered with silks of many hues and gold and silver threads, beads, sequins, shells, spangles and more.

The designs, techniques and methods are innumerable and modified and changed only according to the maker’s skills and the wearer’s fancy. From the harsh and barren desert have come the most intricate and colourful fabric decorating and dyeing techniques from block printing to tie-and-dye and bandhinis. These dupattas are prepared in myriads of colours and then often starched and gathered into tiny pleats whilst held taut by toes to become chunna hua dupattas. These ripple and move to reveal the different colours with each movement. The original kalamkari, sanganeri and Mughal designs amongst many others derived from far and wide and were brought to the subcontinent by waves of travelers and invaders. Along with its many designs and fabrics, dupatta has as many meanings and uses. It is as inextricably intertwined with our joys and sorrows, our celebrations and various rites of passage in our lives as it is with the clothes we wear.

There are different dupattas worn at different occasions, such as the various wedding ceremonies, from the yellow and green of the mayoon and mehndi, to the glorious red of the bridal dress. While on serious occasions such as funerals and religious gatherings, the more sober and unadorned shades such as white and black are preferred. Dupattas are also used in as a shield of honour and protector of modesty. No woman would willingly remove it from her head and face. Its forceful removal is taken as the height of insult to the woman and her family.

Fabrics of all hues, colours and designs are being used. Designs considered ethnic and indigenous to their regions of origin are increasingly popular and fashionable all over the world and finding expression in dupattas worn by girls in cities and urban centres.

Usually readymade salwar sets include a matching dupatta also. Suit material available for stitching also has a matching dupatta attached to it. In addition several textile shops separately sell dupattas in various fabrics like thin cotton, silk, crepe, georgette, nylon etc with or without prints and designs.