An Ode to the Humble Kurta Pyjama and Salwar Kameez!

This is an ode to one of the oldest traditional dresses to adorn the Indian sub continent...the humble kurta pyjama (कुरता प्यजमा) along with its variants; the salwar kameez (सलवार कमीज़)and the churidar कुरता (चुरीदार कुरता). I call it humble as it has never really been given its due unlike the Indian saree (सारी)which receives a lot attention word wide and is hailed as the sacred unstitched seven-yard clothing that seems to epitomize the Indian woman. In a week that saw Aishwarya Rai Bacchan adorning an elegant churidar kurta at an award ceremony in Mumbai, I try to showcase just why the churidar kurta/salwar kameez is one of the most under-rated garments ever and why me and my kurtis are simply inseparable!

Why I love the Kurta Pyjama/ Salwar Kameez?

The first reason is because I belong to Lucknow, the city of Nawabs and also the city of Chikankari -चिकनकारी (traditional hand-embroidery) which meant that I saw a lot of the kurta pyjamas and the salwar kameezes on both men and women with lovely 'chikan' embellishments in all possible styles,textures and colors.But my love for this modest dress grew even more as I experimented with Jeans, Trousers, Capris and Skirts and moved from the city of Nawabs to modern and more fashion-savvy cities of the world.

The reason being that, I regard the salwar as the most faithful that any dress can be. I will explain how.''Can a pair of Jeans with a waist size 26,bought in the buoyant, youthful days, fit you when your waist gives way to indulgences over the years or your post-delivery bulk and turns an uncool size 32?'' No, it most certainly cannot. But 'yours faithfully', the salwar kameez can(the more snug kurta pyjama also can notwithstanding a little huff and puff). And when you shed those extra kilos, the pyjama/salwar is still around waiting for you to pull those drawstrings harder and tighter to flaunt a slimmer you while that new size 32 jeans you bought two months back needs alteration to hold your waist now.

The other admirable quality of the Indian kurta pyjama/salwar kameez is definitely its versatility. Have you ever seen middle aged women in Delhi taking a morning walk? How confident and at ease they look in their salwar kameez or kurta pyjamas, free-wheeling dupattas nicely tied at the waist and sport shoes snugly laced up, as they take a walk. Yes, with a roomy Salwar kameez you not only can walk, you can jog, sprint, exercise, cycle - who needs a Nike track suit?

This is not to forget the girl going to college on a scooty or the Auntyji riding a scooter to office - the old fashioned salwar kameez is a friend in need, from helping you change gears easily to even hauling the vehicle to the nearest service station. Another crucial benefit is evident if you happen to travel in an Indian train and get an upper berth, you can safely, confidently take the leap of faith and can be saved the embarrassment of asking a young guy to take your seat as you secretly plan to hijack his. Also, your salwar is extremely flexible and you don't risk a tear to either cloth or muscle even as you climb a ridiculously high auto rickshaw in a breeze.

In some parts of India, saree is the only acceptable dress but it comes in no way near to the comfort and flexibility quotient of the salwar kameez or the kurta pyjama. Airy, capacious, pliable and simple, you can wear it in a jiffy unlike the saree which needs several touch-ups to get the right look. Don't get me wrong, I love the saree but the salwar kameez is a masterpiece in comfort. It covers you naturally in an easy, fluid way without having to bother about a slippery palla or peek-a-boo saree contours. Finally, the liberty of sitting as you please, (a logistical nightmare if you are wearing a short skirt and do not possess either the legs or the unabashed audacity of Sharon Stone) is the clincher.

History and Evolution of the Kurta Pyjama/ Salwar Kameez

The importance of the Kurta Pyjama and the Salwar Kameez as a traditional Indian clothing is not only that it trascends age - a three year old can wear it and so can an eighty old grandmother- but it is also indisputably the only unisex traditional clothing in the Indian sub continent.

Men in the northern part of India especially Punjab and Kasmir and those in Pakistan, Nepal and Afghanistan wear different variants of this dress. In Pakistan and other Muslim nations of the Indian sub continent, the Salwar Kameez is usually referred to as the Pathani and worn by rural people and city-dwellers alike. These are long kameez(shirts),collared, usually of single color,often in silk and embroidered and worn over loose salwars (pants).

In the northern belt of India men of all generations wear the traditional kurta pyjama on festivals like Diwali, Eid and during weddings and other family functions. Older men still prefer the comfort of a light white kurta pyjama while relaxing at home even though they wear trousers to work. Politicians generally adorn the kurta pyjama or a churidar with an achkan for a graceful and authoritarian presence. Who can forget Pandit Nehru in the crisp white achkan and churidar with a red rose bud nestled in his achkan's lapel?

Over the years, there has been an evolution in the packaging of this loose-fitting apparel to make it more appealing to the youth. Gone are the shapeless rucksacks of before and in have come smart kurtis (short shirts) to be worn over Jeans or churidars and the many variations in length,designing and style as well as exclusive brands like Isvarah and Biba have revolutionized the industry of this humble garment in India. No longer is it only a Punjabi dress.The fact that a garment can cover you from top to toe and never get in your way or your eyes holds a universal appeal to women on the move. 

So next time when your favourite pair of jeans ditches you after a night of binging; try the old-fashioned salwar kameez or the churidar kurta- it will welcome you in its folds and will stay a loyal friend come rain, come shine cleverly hiding anything from a baby bump to an unsightly bulge.