Gagra choli
Encyclopedia
Gagra choli or Ghagra choli, which is also known as Lehenga choli, is the traditional clothing of women in Rajasthan
and Gujarat. Chaniya choli is another term commonly used to refer it.It is a combination outfit of a Lehenga, tight Choli
and a Dupatta
.
bare. It was introduced by the Mughals. Lehenga is a typical feminine silhouette
that epitomizes style, craftsmanship, quality and class of Indian clothing.
, Cotton
, Georgette
, Crape
, Net
, Satin
, Brocade
and Chiffon
.
Even though designers have successfully used the various kinds of fabrics for making the lehenga, silk is still the most preferred fabric. Silk Lehenga is considered to be the most beautiful version of old traditional attire, as it used to be in Mughal era. Silk lehengas are timelessly classic. They have been in vogue since olden times and will always remain so. They own a special place in the fashion world as they are suitable to be worn for all occasions.
, zardozi
, embroidery
, diamante
work, beads embroidery work, kundan
work, mirror
work, etc.
.
navel
revealing ghaghra cholis have emerged. Designer Manish Malhotra
's Fashion Week collections regularly highlight low waisted ghaghras accompanied by short cholis. Such ghagra cholis are more commonly worn by the Bollywood
celebrities.For example, Actress Priyanka Chopra
was featured in a low rise ghagra choli designed by designer Ritu Kumar
on the opening show of the HDIL India Couture Week 2008 held in Mumbai
. At the Blenders Pride Fashion Tour 2011, she was featured in a low rise ghagra choli designed by Neeta Lulla
. Recently in the Pantaloons Femina Miss India 2011 event,all the finalists walked the ramp in modern white low-rise ghagra cholis.
s have found its place in Bollywood
from the early 1950s.It required revealing clothes for the dancing female to look attractive.But the ghagra choli being worn for an item number became popular due to Madhuri Dixit
's performance in the film Khalnayak
(1993) for the controversial song "Choli Ke Peeche Kya Hai" in a red ghagra choli. After which many number of Bollywood item numbers had featured the female dancer in a ghagra choli outfit.Of which the most famous are the ones performed by actress Malaika Arora Khan
. She featured in revealing ghagra cholis for the hit songs "Chaiyya Chaiyya
" in Dil Se
(1998) and "Munni Badnam" in Dabangg
(2010).
Rajasthan
Rājasthān the land of Rajasthanis, , is the largest state of the Republic of India by area. It is located in the northwest of India. It encompasses most of the area of the large, inhospitable Great Indian Desert , which has an edge paralleling the Sutlej-Indus river valley along its border with...
and Gujarat. Chaniya choli is another term commonly used to refer it.It is a combination outfit of a Lehenga, tight Choli
Choli
A choli , is a midriff-baring blouse shell garment in the Indian sari costume worn in India, southern Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and other countries where the sari is worn. The choli is cut to fit tightly to the body and has short sleeves and a low neck...
and a Dupatta
Dupatta
Dupatta Dupatta(Urdu: دوپٹا, Hindi: दुपट्टा, Bengali: ওড়না, Sindhi: پوتي, Tamil:துப்பட்ட) Dupatta(Urdu: دوپٹا, Hindi: दुपट्टा, Bengali: ওড়না, Sindhi: پوتي, Tamil:துப்பட்ட) (alternative names include chadar (in Pakistan), orni/odhni, chunri, chunni, orna, and pacheri, is a long,...
.
Lehenga
Lehenga or Ghagra is a form of skirt which is long, embroidered and pleated. It is worn as the bottom portion of a Gagra choli. It is secured at the waist and leaves the lower back and midriffMidriff
Midriff is a particular term to denominate the section of the human body between the thorax/chest and the pelvis/hips. It is used as a genteel avoidance of synonymous belly ; as a synonym for waist; and as a name for the area around the diaphragm Midriff is a particular term to denominate the...
bare. It was introduced by the Mughals. Lehenga is a typical feminine silhouette
Silhouette
A silhouette is the image of a person, an object or scene consisting of the outline and a basically featureless interior, with the silhouetted object usually being black. Although the art form has been popular since the mid-18th century, the term “silhouette” was seldom used until the early decades...
that epitomizes style, craftsmanship, quality and class of Indian clothing.
Fabrics
The lehengas are made of a number of fabrics such as SilkSilk
Silk is a natural protein fiber, some forms of which can be woven into textiles. The best-known type of silk is obtained from the cocoons of the larvae of the mulberry silkworm Bombyx mori reared in captivity...
, Cotton
Cotton
Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective capsule, around the seeds of cotton plants of the genus Gossypium. The fiber is almost pure cellulose. The botanical purpose of cotton fiber is to aid in seed dispersal....
, Georgette
Georgette (fabric)
Georgette is a sheer, lightweight, dull-finished crêpe fabric named after the early 20th century French modiste, Georgette de la Plante. Originally made of silk and later of rayon or blends, modern georgette is often made of synthetic filament yarns...
, Crape
Crape
Crape is a silk, wool, or polyester fabric of a gauzy texture, having a peculiar crisp or crimpy appearance....
, Net
Net (textile)
Net or netting is any textile in which the warp and weft yarns are looped or knotted at their intersections, resulting in a fabric with large open spaces between the yarns....
, Satin
Satin
Satin is a weave that typically has a glossy surface and a dull back. It is a warp-dominated weaving technique that forms a minimum number of interlacings in a fabric. If a fabric is formed with a satin weave using filament fibres such as silk, nylon, or polyester, the corresponding fabric is...
, Brocade
Brocade
Brocade is a class of richly decorative shuttle-woven fabrics, often made in colored silks and with or without gold and silver threads. The name, related to the same root as the word "broccoli," comes from Italian broccato meaning "embossed cloth," originally past participle of the verb broccare...
and Chiffon
Chiffon (fabric)
Chiffon, , from the French word for a cloth or rag, is a lightweight, balanced plain-woven sheer fabric woven of alternate S- and Z-twist crepe yarns. The twist in the crepe yarns puckers the fabric slightly in both directions after weaving, giving it some stretch and a slightly rough...
.
Even though designers have successfully used the various kinds of fabrics for making the lehenga, silk is still the most preferred fabric. Silk Lehenga is considered to be the most beautiful version of old traditional attire, as it used to be in Mughal era. Silk lehengas are timelessly classic. They have been in vogue since olden times and will always remain so. They own a special place in the fashion world as they are suitable to be worn for all occasions.
Decorative Stitching
Apart from the fabric, decorative stitching patterns also play a role. Lehengas come with a wide variety of decoration work like zariZari
Zari is basically a tinsel thread meant for weaving and embroidery. It is manufactured by winding or wrapping a flattened metallic strip made from pure gold, silver or slitted metallised polyester film, on a core yarn, usually of pure silk, art silk, viscose, cotton, nylon, polyester, P.P.,...
, zardozi
Zardozi
Zardozi or Zar-douzi work is a type of embroidery in Iran, India and Pakistan.-Iran:Zardozi is on of the most important elements of Persian cultural signs and Handicrafts. It is named around the country by names such Zar-douzi , Kam-douzi , Gol-douzi and Kaman-douzi...
, embroidery
Embroidery
Embroidery is the art or handicraft of decorating fabric or other materials with needle and thread or yarn. Embroidery may also incorporate other materials such as metal strips, pearls, beads, quills, and sequins....
, diamante
Sequin
Sequins are disk-shaped beads used for decorative purposes. They are available in a wide variety of colors and geometrical shapes. Sequins are commonly used on clothing, jewelry, bags, shoes and lots of other accessories. Large sequins, fastened only at the top, have been used on billboards and...
work, beads embroidery work, kundan
Kundan
Kundan keshri is a traditional South Asian gemstone jewellery, a method of gem setting in a jewellery piece, consisting of inserting gold foil between the stones and its mount, usually used to create elaborate necklaces believed to have originated in the royal courts of Rajasthan and Gujarat...
work, mirror
Mirror
A mirror is an object that reflects light or sound in a way that preserves much of its original quality prior to its contact with the mirror. Some mirrors also filter out some wavelengths, while preserving other wavelengths in the reflection...
work, etc.
Styles of Ghagra choli
The ghagra cholis can be worn in different styles. The styles basically differ based on the lehenga designs. Following are some of the basic styles;| Picture | Style | Description |
|---|---|---|
| A-line A-line An A-line skirt is a skirt that is fitted at the hips and gradually widens towards the hem, giving the impression of the shape of a capital letter A. The term is also used to describe dresses and coats with a similar shape.-History:... Lehenga |
A-line lehengas are typical. They flow down in A-shape and are ideal for pear shaped brides. | |
| Circular Lehenga | Circular lehenga, as the name suggests, is circular in shape and has a large circumference. This style is the pick of those who yearn for exclusivity and elegance. | |
| Fishtail/Mermaid Mermaid A mermaid is a mythological aquatic creature with a female human head, arms, and torso and the tail of a fish. A male version of a mermaid is known as a "merman" and in general both males and females are known as "merfolk"... Lehenga |
Fishtail Lehenga sticks to your body from the waistline and flares down at the bottom, apt for the curvaceous and an hourglass frame. This sort is flawless for those who love to go glam.It is somewhat similar to the Hobble skirt Hobble skirt A hobble skirt is a skirt with a narrow enough hem to significantly impede the wearer's stride, thus earning its name. A knee-long corset is also used to achieve this effect... of the Western Fashion Western wear Western wear is a category of men's and women's clothing which derives its unique style from the clothes worn in the 19th-century American West. It ranges from accurate historical reproductions of pioneer, mountain man, Civil War, cowboy and vaquero clothing to the stylized garments popularized by... . |
|
| Panelled Lehenga | Panelled lehenga, the best lehenga, offers the right amount of flare and a perfect fall. | |
| Straight Cut Lehenga | Straight cut lehenga is the customary style of Bridal Lehenga. It flows down in a parallel manner and fits every shape and body type. With straight cut and tapered Lehenga, it is advisable to have soft fabrics rather than stiffer fabrics. |
Festive Attire
The lehenga choli is the favourite female apparel worn during festivals, weddings or special events in India. This is due to traditions as well as of the fact that it is available in a number of fabrics with many different decorative choices. Traditionally the sari and the lehenga choli are the most popular garments for the bride in India. But it is a common bridal attire mostly in North IndiaNorth India
North India, known natively as Uttar Bhārat or Shumālī Hindustān , is a loosely defined region in the northern part of India. The exact meaning of the term varies by usage...
.
Modern Fashion
Due to modern fashion trends, lehenga cholis have now become a fashion statement. The cholis has become shorter and is sometimes substituted with Western crop top, halter neck or baby doll tops. Along with saris, low-riseLow-rise (fashion)
Low-rise is a style of clothing, designed to sit low on, or below, the hips. The style can also be called lowcut, hipster, or hip-hugger. A normal Low-rise sits at least 2 to 3 inches [5–8 cms] below the navel...
navel
Navel
The navel is a scar on the abdomen caused when the umbilical cord is removed from a newborn baby...
revealing ghaghra cholis have emerged. Designer Manish Malhotra
Manish Malhotra
Manish Malhotra is considered to be India's leading and most successful fashion designer.Manish Malhotra has designed for many leading actresses in Bollywood. He is known for his different style and his ability to envision a 'look' for the character. He is known for designing the costumes for...
's Fashion Week collections regularly highlight low waisted ghaghras accompanied by short cholis. Such ghagra cholis are more commonly worn by the Bollywood
Bollywood
Bollywood is the informal term popularly used for the Hindi-language film industry based in Mumbai , Maharashtra, India. The term is often incorrectly used to refer to the whole of Indian cinema; it is only a part of the total Indian film industry, which includes other production centers producing...
celebrities.For example, Actress Priyanka Chopra
Priyanka Chopra
Priyanka Chopra is an Indian actress and former Miss World. Before starting her acting career, she worked as a model and gained fame after winning the Miss World title in 2000. She is often referred to by the nickname "Piggy Chops", which was given to her by co-stars on the set of the film...
was featured in a low rise ghagra choli designed by designer Ritu Kumar
Ritu Kumar
Ritu Kumar is an Indian fashion designer, based in Delhi.-Early life and education:A native of Amritsar, Ritu attended Lady Irwin College, in New Delhi, graduating in 1964, and Briarcliff College, New York, USA in 1966.-Career:Kumar has been designing the wardrobes comprising swimwear,...
on the opening show of the HDIL India Couture Week 2008 held in Mumbai
Mumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
. At the Blenders Pride Fashion Tour 2011, she was featured in a low rise ghagra choli designed by Neeta Lulla
Neeta Lulla
Neeta Lulla is an Indian fashion stylist and costume designer. She is the winner of three National Film Awards for Best Costume Design.-Awards:*National Film Award for Best Costume Design 2009 for Jodhaa Akbar....
. Recently in the Pantaloons Femina Miss India 2011 event,all the finalists walked the ramp in modern white low-rise ghagra cholis.
Item Numbers
Item numberItem number
An item number or an item song, in Indian cinema, is a musical performance that has little to do with the film in which it appears, but is presented to showcase beautiful dancing women in very revealing clothes, to lend support to the marketability of the film...
s have found its place in Bollywood
Bollywood
Bollywood is the informal term popularly used for the Hindi-language film industry based in Mumbai , Maharashtra, India. The term is often incorrectly used to refer to the whole of Indian cinema; it is only a part of the total Indian film industry, which includes other production centers producing...
from the early 1950s.It required revealing clothes for the dancing female to look attractive.But the ghagra choli being worn for an item number became popular due to Madhuri Dixit
Madhuri Dixit
Madhuri Dixit is an Indian film actress who has appeared in Hindi films. Throughout the late 1980s and 1990s, she established herself as one of Hindi cinema's leading actresses and most accomplished dancers. She appeared in numerous commercially successful films and was recognised for several of...
's performance in the film Khalnayak
Khalnayak
Khal Nayak is a 1993 Hindi film produced, written and directed by Subhash Ghai. The story centres around the escape and attempted capture of a terrorist criminal, Ballu, by Inspector Ram and his girlfriend Ganga. Box office India declared the film a "super hit" at the box office...
(1993) for the controversial song "Choli Ke Peeche Kya Hai" in a red ghagra choli. After which many number of Bollywood item numbers had featured the female dancer in a ghagra choli outfit.Of which the most famous are the ones performed by actress Malaika Arora Khan
Malaika Arora Khan
Malaika Arora Khan , also known as Malaika Arora, is an Indian model, actress, television personality and former MTV VJ. She is one of India's top item girls...
. She featured in revealing ghagra cholis for the hit songs "Chaiyya Chaiyya
Chaiyya Chaiyya
"Chaiyya Chaiyya" is a Hindi song from the 1998 Hindi film Dil Se directed by Mani Ratnam.The song was composed by A.R. Rahman, written by Gulzar, and sung by Sukhwinder Singh and Sapna Awasthi. It quickly became popular upon release and its music video gained the same status, partly because it...
" in Dil Se
Dil Se
Dil Se is a 1998 Hindi film directed by Mani Ratnam. The film stars Shahrukh Khan, Manisha Koirala, and Preity Zinta. Mani Ratnam also co-wrote the screenplay for the film...
(1998) and "Munni Badnam" in Dabangg
Dabangg
Dabangg is a 2010 Hindi action film, directed by Abhinav Kashyap in his directorial debut and produced by Arbaaz Khan under the Arbaaz Khan Productions. The lead actors in the film include Arbaaz's elder brother, Salman Khan and Sonakshi Sinha...
(2010).