The document discusses the evolution of ancient Indian fashion, tracing its roots from the Indus Valley civilization to the Mughal dynasty, emphasizing influences from invasions and migrations. It highlights the diversity in clothing styles due to geographical, historical, and cultural factors, including the impact of religion and societal norms. Key developments include the transition from unstitched garments to stitched clothing, the evolution of specific garments like the sari and kurta, and the adaptation of foreign influences over time.

1. ANCIENT INDIAN FASHION
B.S.Vamsi Gupta -16BEC1229
M.Sai Venkat - 16BEC1294
Under the Guidance of Dr.Rajasekharan for the Course of IHC

2. INTRODUCTION
• It is Described as
‘Harmonious Co-Existence
of a wide Variety of Layered
Chaos.
• The Clothing diversity of
India has its roots in our
Geography & History

3. DIFFERENT STYLES

4. CHANGES AND CAUSE OF IT
• South Invasions are due to Seafarers, traders from Roman ,
Arab , Portuguese ,French ,Dutch ,British etc.
• In North Indo Aryans Persians Indo Greeks Parthian Sakas
Kushans Huns Turks Mughals .
• Migrations from Tibet Burma, china Restricted by the
Himalayan ranges in the east and the Vindhyas in south

5. A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF RELIGION THROUGH
TIME
• Semitropical climates ,
clothes were not essential to
survive Hence, Indian
Clothing tended to become a
religious , cultural and
tribal identity .

6. DNA OF OUR CLOTHING IN TIME
The DNA of our clothing in time Diversity brought in by History Of the
Indian Subcontinent
• Indus valley civilization -- 5300 years back -- Evidences but no
Documentation
• Epic or the Vedic age -- 3500 years back -- No Evidences no
Documentation
• Maurya Greeks -- 2300 years back
• Kushans Partho-Synthians -- 2100 years back
• Guptas -- 1800 years back
• Islam --500 years back

7. INDUS VALLEY
CIVILIZATION
5300 YEARS BACK

8. INDUS VALLEY CIVILIZATION
3300 BCE TO 1300 BCE
• No caste system. Priest king is believed to have
ruled along side bureaucracy.
• Its spread was Pakistan, Afghanistan and
parts of India.
• Integral component of the Bronze Age world
economy in terms of trade relation
• Evidences but no Documentation

9. CLOTHING
•Rudimentary Stitching
•Nudity Acceptable
•Body adorned with beads,
jewels

10. SOME OTHER INFO

11. EVIDENCES

12. VEDIC PERIOD
3500 YEARS BACK

13. SOCIO CULTURAL VEDIC PERIOD
1500 TO 500 BC
• Probably around the 800 BC, the Aryans thrust eastwards along the gangetic plains
removed the centre of gravity of conquered lands from the Punjab to Daob
• There were no kingdoms. By late Vedic period Janapada (land) gained importance
and kingdoms ( mahajanapadas ) were formed
• Birth of Caste system
• Hinduism
• Sanskrit
• Upanishads
• Vedas
• Ramayana and Mahabharata

14. CLOTHING
• Leave the loom, ready for wear .
• Early Indian did not use any
sewn garments
• Sewing was considered
inauspicious Upper body not
covered by both male and
females

15. FUNCTIONAL FORM
• The first form of clothing happened as a form
of protection for the males and as a chastity
belt Functional form of clothing Clothes that
traveled to us
• Loin clothes: Kaupina is a distinctly Indian
form of clothing from ancient times. It is a loin
cloth passed between the legs and held by a
string at the waist, just enough to cover the
private parts.
• The remainder of the cloth acts as a throw or
apron

16. RELIGIOUS
• The religious significance of
sewing being inauspicious is
observed yet, during puja
ceremonies
• The puja performer wears
an unstitched garment.
These names have early
mentions in the Vedic texts

17. PRESENT DAY STYLE

18. SOME OTHER INFO

19. MAURYAN AND GREEK PERIOD
2300 YEARS BACK

20. KINGDOM
• Persian and Greek invasion Around the
5th century BC, north-western parts of
India faced invasion by the Achaemenid
Empire and the Greeks of Alexander's
army.
• Persian way of thinking,
administration and lifestyle came to
India. This influence became bigger
during the Mauryan dynasty.

21. CLOTHING
• Clothing Men and women continued to wear three unstitched
garments, as in Vedic times. Antariya in kaccha style, uttariya across
the head or casually draped on the shoulders , kayabandh or the
girdle
• The cloth became finer with the increase in status of the person
adorning it. .
• Cotton continued to be used as the traditional textile ,
• And silk (called Cinamsuka) was imported from China along the Silk
Route The Birth of the Ghagra noticed in some parts kayabandh
antariya uttariya Mauli/ turban

22. CLOTHING
• As seen the stitched garments
were adopted by the common
man. The ruling class, the god
and goddesses continued to be
depicted in nude
• The royal ladies in the
frescoes...displayed their breasts.
The ladies in waiting wear...a firm
'breast bandage' or sthanapatiya

23. CLOTHING
• The skirt, bhairnivasani , evolved from the
antariya which when stitched on one side became
tabular and was worn gathered together at the
waist, and held by a girdle. This was one of the
earliest forms of a clumsily stitched skirt
• Later evolved into a “ghagri” with the nada
replacing the girdle
• The bhairnivasani was first used by the Jain and
Buddhist nuns, and arose from the idea that a
woman’s body was sinful and had to be covered

24. CLOTHING
• A stitched shirt-like foreign
garment called the kancuka
was frequently used by
attendants , grooms, guards
and so on in the king’s court

25. CLOTHING
• KANCHUKA This is a close
fitting garment covering the
upper body.
• Armor is also a form of
Kanchuka.

26. CLOTHING

27. SILHOUETTES

28. OTHER INFO

29. SOCIO-CULTURAL INFLUENCES
• For many centuries before Indians had moved around self consciously nude above
waist .
• There were probably two reasons for the One was that the female attendants in the
King’s court thrown into the company of beautiful foreigners who wore upper
garments, must have realized that covering the bosom could even be more attractive
than exposing it, and accordingly emulated the dress style of the foreigners.
• Also, with the impact of Buddhism, Jainsm, and Christianity the belief that the
body was sinful and must be concealed to avoid temptation was percolating through
India, In medieval Europe, around this time, similar changes were occurring in
female clothing, and women began covering themselves from head to foot.

30. FOREIGNERS INFLUENCE
• A description of Persian
costume of 500 BC. coat
that was open down the
front, had a fitted waist,
and long tight sleeves sewn
into the armholes.
• At first it was knee-length,
later calf length.

31. SOME OTHER INFLUENCES

32. KUSHAN DYNASTY
THE PARTO-SYNTHINASA
2100 YEARS BACK

33. KINGDOM AND TRADING PLACEES

34. OVERVIEW

35. MATERIALS USED

36. CLOTHING
• The dress was worn by most of Scythian and Iranian races and resembled
particularly that of the Parthians
• It consisted of a ruched long-sleeves tunic with a slit for the neck opening ,
simple or elaborately decorated.
• The close-fitting knee-length tunic was sometimes made of leather, and with it
could be worn a short cloak or a calf-length woolen coat or caftan , worn loose
or crossed over from right to left and secured by a belt of leather or metal.
• External influence…. Stitched clothes.. 2100 years back Kaniska (from the
warrior class) is depicted wearing a Iranian tunic, Scythian Cap and a nomadic
horseman's heavy boots The Kushan dress had evolved from a nomad culture
based on the use of the horse

37. CLOTHING
• Kansika (from the warrior class) is
depicted wearing a Iranian
tunic,Scythian Cap and a nomadic
horsemen’s heavy booys
• The kushans dress had evolved from a
nomad culture based on the use of
horse

38. FIRST EVIDENCE OF A SINGLE DRAPE
THE SARI

39. • At Gandhara there are figures wearing a
sari-like garment which seems to have
evolved from palmyrene (Graeco-Roman) or
pure Roman dress.
• This is the palla (draped over garment worn
over a long gown with ruched sleeves, which
was typical of the Roman matron) pinned at
the left shoulder.
• The difference in some of the Gandhara
female figures is that they wear, in addition,
an antariya, which is extended in length.
This long antariya is worn in the kachcha
style but one end continues over the left
shoulder and is broached there like the
palla.

40. FOREIGN INFLUENCES
• The total ensemble looks very
much like the Deccani sari of today
• The wearing of an uttariya with
the sari is still seen in the fisher-
folk of Maharashtra.
• It is worn in the kacha style like
the ancient antariya

41. MIGRANTS WHO SETTLED IN INDIA
PARSIS AND SCYTHIANS
• The Indo-Scythians are a branch of the Indo-Iranian Sakas
(Scythians), who migrated into parts of Western and Central India,
Gujarat and Rajasthan, from the middle of the 2nd century BCE to
the 4th century CE .
• The agrarian and artisan communities (e.g. Jats, Gujars, Ahirs,
Rajputs, Lohars, Tarkhans etc .) of the entire west are derived from
the war-like Scythians who settled north-western
• These migrants brought with them new silhouettes, textures and
materials that makes the present day scenario of northwest India so
colourful and Vibrant.

42. MIGRANTS WHO SETTLED IN INDIA
PARSIS AND SCYTHIANS
• Parsis are descended from Persian Zoroastrians
who emigrated to the Indian subcontinent
ancient Persian rulers Modern Mumbai Parsi
Family in traditional attire .
• The immigrants were granted permission to stay
by the local ruler Jadi Rana on the condition that
they adopt the local language (Gujarati), that
their women adopt local dress (the sari )
• The parsi cap: Clothing as means of preserving
identity as in case of Parsees

43. THE GUPTA DYNASTY
1800 YEARS BACK

44. KINGDOM
• As traditional Hindu monarchs, the Gupta s
were strong supporters of vedic religious beliefs
and rituals. Hinduism had reached its peak
Manu Smriti dictated a rigid class system
• And Buddhism declined
• Down south commerce was at its height with
south east countries and spreading indian
textiles and art.

45. FROM KACCHA TO LUNGI STYLE

46. VILLAGE WOMEN
• This is Interesting as it shows the
angharakha worn wit h trousers
instead of the ghagri or lehenga.
• May be the trouser suited more in
terms of protection aginst the climate
and was similar to the garments of the
foreigners ,therefore adopted

47. MENS CLOTHING
• Men from the north and the
west (Gujarat,Uttar
Pradesh,Madhya Pradesh)who
are traditional dhoti wearers are
shifting to lungi when at home
as it’s a easier drape.

48. SARI DRAPE CHANGE
• The antariya was occasionally worn like the Indonesian sarong- a
wide garment reaching from under the armpits to mid-thigh in a
simple wraparound Clothing.
• The main difference in the Gupta period, as distinct from the previous
periods, is that the kachcha style became less popular with women,
being replaced gradually by the more feminine lehnga or lungi was we
call it today, although the queen and other ladies of the royal family
remained conservative .
• This conservative kachcha style is still adopted by the women of
Maharashtra and South India.

49. CLOTHING
• Many forms of cut-and-sewn garments became fashionable, especially
at court. By now clearly defined the costumes of north and south
India.
• In northern India where climatic conditions were more suitable there
was greater emphasis on the stitched garments, but in the south, as is
apparent even today, the indigenous antariya, uttariya and
kayabandh held their own.

50. EXTERNAL INFLUENCE..STITCHED
CLOTHES
• Clothing of the female: The apron-like
attachment at the front of the blouse,
visible in some of the frescoes.
• could have evolved from the need for
protection against the cold for the front
part of the body, or as a modesty covering
over the stomach which was exposed, the
skirt being worn below the navel

51. THE MUGHAL DYNASTY
500 YEARS BACK

52. KINGS OF MUGHAL DYNASTY

53. KINGDOM
• Mughal Empire was an Islamic imperial power
which ruled most of the Indian subcontinent from
the early 16th to the mid-19th centuries.
• The classic period of the Empire starts with the
accession of Jalaluddin Mohammad, better known
as Akbar the Great, in 1556 .
• The Mughal Empire survived until 1857, but its
rulers were, after 1803, pensioners of the East India
Company.

54. OVERVIEW
• Exposure to a wide variety of
apparel for more than a decade
resulted and assumed numerous
regional variations, from the
nomad garments of central Asia
into the refined costume of the
Mughals- in the instance of one
type of garment, that evolved
into the comfortable and relaxed
dress of the common man –
Kurta Pyjama Kaba Kurtak

55. MATERIALS AND INSTRUMENTS

56. INFO
Influences:
Interestingly, each emperor maintained his own contemporary style of
dressing in court and otherwise The initial influence was restricted to
the court, nobility and the upper class. Purdah, nose rings and the
salwar kameez established themselves in this period
Socio-Cultral Impact:
A new sartorial morality stuck root - the purpose of clothing moved from
protection and ornamentation to “rules of behavior” for men and women :
Veils, turbans etc acquired cultural and societal connotations.

57. BABAR
• Babar who was brought up in the cooler
climate of Turkistan, retained the
costumes of his homeland; the most
popular garments in his period were
‘chafan’ (long coat) and ‘postin’ (sheep
skin coat). Perhaps he wore them for
traditional rather than practical reasons.

58. MAIN ATTIRE OF BABAR

59. HUMAYUN
• Humayun introduced Persian elements in
the costumes . He was notorious for seeking
the help of planetary movements (every
day) in choosing what to wear.
• He also maintained a special treasure house
in his palace to accommodate textiles and
garments

60. AKBAR
• Akbar took the initiative of introducing local textiles,
which were best suited to the hot climate of the region
Akbar also developed a vocabulary of clothing and
textile.
• Some new terms were introduced; jama was renamed
‘sarbgati’ meaning, that which covers the entire body,
‘izar’ (drawers) was renamed ‘yar pirahan’ meaning
‘companion of the coat’, ‘burqa’ and ‘hijab’ (over
garment covering the body and face) were named
‘hitragupta’ (Sanskrit word) meaning ‘that which
hides the face’ and ‘shawl’ took the name ‘paramnarm’
meaning ‘extremely soft’.

61. MUSLIMS VS HINDUS
• Mughals neither lost their identity nor conquered the country
culturally Mughal expansion was a process of evolution rather than
imposition.
• Because Hinduism had penetrated so deeply the foreigners were
considered mleecha (impure) .hostile. Large number of Hindu converts
felt no need to change their fashions.
• Though after the initial clash followed fusion, with the citizens
adopting part of the mughal culture and fashion 500 years back

62. MUSLIMS VS HINDUS
• Marking features introduced to differentiate
Hindus from the Muslims even though they
were wearing the same kind of clothes.
• The emperor Akbar was smart enough in
maintaining the freedom and religious
identity as the Hindu
• Chakdar Jama was fastened on the left side
of the body and Muslims fastened it on the
right side.

63. AKBARS CONTRIBUTION
• He himself took interest in the Clothing of
court dresses and introduced the ‘Chakdar
jama’ to his court, which is a cross over tunic,
with slits around the skirt and an
asymmetrical hemline.
• Although it was in Clothing in India since
medieval times, Akbar restyled the garment
and developed it into a formal gown by
removing slits, rounding the hemline and
increasing the fullness of the skirt

64. SOCIAL ADOPTIONS
• The development of the Purdah system many
Hindu nobles were asked their daughter in
marriage to Muslim sultans against their
practices.
• consequently they responded to the pressure by
adopting ‘purdah’to keep gaze at bay and early
child marriages. The intermarriages that
happened lead to the introduction of their dress
styles

65. SOCIAL ADOPTIONS
• The Amirs and the Maliks and other officers at the Sultanate courts
are described as wearing "gowns (tatailyat),jakalwat and
Islamic qabas of Khawarizm tucked in the middle of the body&quot
and short turbans which did not exceed five or six forearms.
• Of other Amirs we learn that they were as well dressed as the soldiers
except that they did not use belts and at times they let down a piece of
cloth in front of them after the manner of the sups.
• The judges and the learned men wore ample gowns (farajiyat) that
resembled jaradiyat (striped material from jand, Yemen) and an
Arabic garment (durra) (a garment opening in front and buttoned )

66. SOME PICTURES

67. FOREIGN ATTIRES

68. ORNAMENTS

69. FUNCTIONAL ADOPTIONS
• In the punjab region, people moved
from wearing lungis to pajamas.
• Pajamas are worn in Punjab by
both Hindus and the Muslims.

70. ADOPOTIONS FROM OTHER CULTURES

71. PUNJAB MENS SHIRT (FROM PERSIA)

72. MENS JACKET

73. PUNJAB’S CASHMERE(FROM TURKESTAN)

74. ANGARAKHA(FROM BAHAWALPUR)

75. MODERN INDIAN ATTIRE AT A GLANCE

76. KASHMIR
• Functional adoption of clothing from central
Asia Influenced by the Hindus, Buddhists,
Muslims and bearing a clear stamp of the
Afghan and central Asian contributions.
• Due to the climatic extremities salwar is the
common dress for both Hindus and the
Muslims Veil not present

77. HIMACHAL PRADESH
• Dress evolve out of necessity
Dress evolves out of necessity
owning to extreme climate - the
total ensemble consists of a loose
chola reaching from the neck to
the ankle, this is worn over a
trouser.
• The male attire consists of a
tight trouser, jamah and a cap.

78. PUNJAB
• Punjabis in India have mainly
Indo-Aryan and Indo-Scythian
origin. Their indigenous garment
was the lungi though they
adopted the salwar for functional
purposes.
• Influences from the neighboring
areas like Kashmir

79. GUJARAT
• Gujarat West and south west of Rajasthan
ghaghra is mostly confined to peasants
and the saurastra region further south
people wear sari, the ghagra retains its
use as an undergarment, as is the proved
by the fact that even as a petticoat the
underwear ghaghra is embellished , being
reminiscent of the original practice of
having the latter as the principal wear.
• Males dress is composed of a pagri
breeches and short kurta

80. MAHARASTRA
• Maharastra the dividing line of north and
the south From here we find minimum
external influences on clothing owning to
geographical limitations.
• Further south the sari is the primary attire
of the female and lungi or Mundu for the
males.

81. DIFFERENT STYLES OF SARI DRAPE

82. KERALA

83. ANDHRA PRADESH

84. KARNATAKA

85. TAMILNADU

86. ORISSA AND EAST

87. THE JOURNEY
• From here we would understand the Mutations that
happened in the Indian fashion journey.
• . The change of aspirations.. from the Europeans (British) to
the American.. To our very own Bollywood, and television

88. CONCLUSION
• Within these broad clothing preferences , each community tried to
differentiate from others by bringing in small changes in drapes, or
wearing a particular jewelry, use of color etc to Identify themselves.
• So till now Indian clothing had functional (protection & adornment),
socio-cultural (social Structure, values, Sacred ) roots to itself which
has become an Identity of the people
• Communities use clothing and external symbols to preserve their
identities among the mass : as indicators of social status, marital
status, origin, wealth, religion

89. FORCES

90. THANK YOU