Ghoonghat
Encyclopedia
Ghoonghat or Ghunghat is a Hindi
word which describes a veil
or headscarf
worn by India
n women to cover their head, and often their face. Generally a pallu (the loose end of a sari
) is pulled over the head to act as a ghunghat. A dupatta
(long scarf) is sometimes used as a ghungat.
In very traditional and rural areas, women use their sari to completely cover the face and neck, concealing their identity to males. There is a small minority of women that use the fabric to cover their whole face, bosom, arms, and stomach. This type of veiling is still popular with Hindu brides, and is observed on the wedding day. Many women will use the ghungat as a new bride, until their father-in-law advises to unveil. This is to keep the modesty of the bride.
If the fabric is thick, women cannot see through the material. This poses a health and safety issue, and they usually have to be guided by younger females or peers when out in public.
Traditionally, in some parts of India, women are supposed to wear a ghunghat in front of family elders and men, except husbands and close family members. The ghunghat is used to show respect to elder males of the extended family. In desert areas of Indian and Pakistan, the ghungat is used to keep sand from blowing onto the face.
The ghungat was a popular tradition in the 1950s, and has since steadily declined. There has been a resurge of wearing of the ghungat due to popular Indian soap operas that depict this style. The ghunghat is still used in rural parts of Northern India, especially in Gujarat, Rajasthan
, Uttar Pradesh
, and Bihar
.
Hindi
Standard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...
word which describes a veil
Veil
A veil is an article of clothing, worn almost exclusively by women, that is intended to cover some part of the head or face.One view is that as a religious item, it is intended to show honor to an object or space...
or headscarf
Headscarf
Headscarves or head scarves are scarves covering most or all of the top of a woman's hair and her head. Headscarves may be worn for a variety of purposes, such as for warmth, for sanitation, for fashion or social distinction; with religious significance, to hide baldness, out of modesty, or other...
worn by India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n women to cover their head, and often their face. Generally a pallu (the loose end of a sari
Sari
A sari or sareeThe name of the garment in various regional languages include: , , , , , , , , , , , , , is a strip of unstitched cloth, worn by females, ranging from four to nine metres in length that is draped over the body in various styles. It is popular in India, Bangladesh, Nepal,...
) is pulled over the head to act as a ghunghat. 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,...
(long scarf) is sometimes used as a ghungat.
Description
The ghunghat varies in styles due to personal choice and tradition. Most ladies cover only the forehead, ears, and eyes; this allows ladies to see through the garment whilst being veiled. A popular style is to pull the fabric from the side of the face and hold it there whilst talking to males; this forms a quick barrier between the speakers and is the most convenient form of the ghunghat.In very traditional and rural areas, women use their sari to completely cover the face and neck, concealing their identity to males. There is a small minority of women that use the fabric to cover their whole face, bosom, arms, and stomach. This type of veiling is still popular with Hindu brides, and is observed on the wedding day. Many women will use the ghungat as a new bride, until their father-in-law advises to unveil. This is to keep the modesty of the bride.
If the fabric is thick, women cannot see through the material. This poses a health and safety issue, and they usually have to be guided by younger females or peers when out in public.
Traditionally, in some parts of India, women are supposed to wear a ghunghat in front of family elders and men, except husbands and close family members. The ghunghat is used to show respect to elder males of the extended family. In desert areas of Indian and Pakistan, the ghungat is used to keep sand from blowing onto the face.
The ghungat was a popular tradition in the 1950s, and has since steadily declined. There has been a resurge of wearing of the ghungat due to popular Indian soap operas that depict this style. The ghunghat is still used in rural parts of Northern India, especially in Gujarat, Rajasthan
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...
, Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh abbreviation U.P. , is a state located in the northern part of India. With a population of over 200 million people, it is India's most populous state, as well as the world's most populous sub-national entity...
, and Bihar
Bihar
Bihar is a state in eastern India. It is the 12th largest state in terms of geographical size at and 3rd largest by population. Almost 58% of Biharis are below the age of 25, which is the highest proportion in India....
.