Indian Accessories

Lengha Choli, otherwise known as lehnga, langa or lengha, has a beautiful history in India.

When the Mughals invaded India in early BC, they brought this pretty skirt and blouse with them. This attire has usually hand-decorated traditional embroidery works such as zardosi and soonf. This style could be way back in the 4th cent BC In the peak of Indian royalty, real gold, silver and expensive stones were used to make these legendary designs. Even now, designers try their best to keep up the tradition by hand decorating these garments. Perhaps modern bride is more likely to opt for a lehnga choli on her wedding day than a bridal sari because of the heavy weight of the sari.

Lehanga Cholis are now sold in pleasing styles such as embroidered lehanga, Tie and Die, Customized Lehanga Choli, Sharara, Garara, Lancha and Indian Wedding Lehanga. Customized Lehanga gives the perfect fit one desires. Gujarati invention tie-dye prints with mirror work are popular among young ladies. This lehanga includes a matching shining Dupatta. Traditional Lehanga is fit for all parties. Designer Lehanga collection combines silk and cotton threads on rich fabrics producing unique patterns. Chikan embroidery has always been a favorite. Sharara gets a western look with a waist long top/blouse and flairy pants and is worn with a long pretty chunnri.. Indian wedding Lehanga is decorated heavily with gold, silver and other precious stones.

Chaniya Choli originated in Kutch, Gujarat and Rajasthan is popular in the west and north of India. South Indians are familiar with another version called pavade. Fabrics used for making chaniya-cholis are cotton, silk, khadi and at times chiffon. Ghagra Choli includes long pleated skirts Ghaghra or Lengha, and twin blouses. The colorful blouses have extensive mirror and patch work on them and are designed to leave the back and midriff bare. Zardosi Lengha, the traditional wear since Mughal time, comes in different styles and is made up of a comfortable fabric. It is suitable for festivals or other celebrations. Bridal Lengha has lasting values and rich craftsmanship. In addition to wedding, Bridal Lengha are worn at beauty contests at national and international level.

The beautiful lehngas are suitable to women of all shapes and sizes and available for small,

medium, large and over-sized ladies. Women belonging to any age group love to wear lehnga choli for formal as well as dress occasions. Women always express a correct judgment regarding fashion choice which has a history of 1000 years. This fashionable wear of Rajasthan is reminiscent of our old tribal designs. Today lehnga choli is gathering admiration from people all over. Like old wine in new bottle, the same old stuff is brought back in an ultra modern style retaining the touch of Indian culture.

When you have decided to buy a lehenga choli you should be aware of certain lehenga buying tips that will guide you to select the right one that will make you the centre of attraction in any occasion. For a slim trim figure a lehenga suit with lovely patterns and a deep-cut neck would be an ideal choice enhancing your feminism. Lehangas made out of fabrics such as raw silk, organza of Benaras or crepe will highlight your flawless figure. Bold ladies may go for cholis with deep backlines or thin straps or one shoulder sleeve. Too thin ladies say a big NO to long choli.
Women having broad shoulders, deep-necked, not wide neck, Ghaghra is the perfect choice. Jeweled necklines are not advisable for busty ladies. Select a long lehenga with small prints of flowers and leaves. Fatty ladies without proper bust or shape chose an A-line lehenga of crepe or georgette with extensively embroidered cholis.

Short ladies look out for lehenga choli with vertical prints and U or square neck to give a taller appearance. Avoid short sleeves and sleeveless cholis and heavy work or heavy fabric Dupatta should flow from the shoulder to the knee to disguise the shortness. For women with large waist kurti style choli in deep bright colors will fit well. Sophisticated prints are preferable to complicated designs. Plump figures might select a long length choli having a deep neck so that a bit of cleavage is seen. Now decide on your fashion style suitable to your figure.

Modern bride prefers to wear a light Lehnga Choli on her wedding day rather than a heavy sari as her bridal costume. These lehengas are extremely beautiful and usually decorated by hand in the traditional designs of India. Modern young brides in North India, especially in Rajasthan and Gujarat favor a soft radiant glittering lehenga suit on the wedding day. The winds of Westernization have led to the blending of tradition and modernity in the lehenga too; whether it is the color, embellishments, fabric or the design of the lehenga. The lehnga has evolved to suit the convenience of women. The ends of the waist fabric were stitched and its narrow width was increased by adding more pleats on the waist, portion to make their mobility easier.

Lehenga choli represents the traditional Rajasthan and Gujarat style of embroidery. The traditional lehengas were decorated with motifs and embroidered with Zardosi in royal karkhanas for ceremonies. The rich red color is symbolic of festivity and fertility. Rich red, maroon and majenta were the colors of bridal lehenga. But today’s brides go for off-beat colors like mauves, onion pinks, lime greens, peaches, mustards and blues Bright colors like reds, gold and oranges have made a resurgence now, maroon being the all time favorite.

A beautiful lehenga with a short tight-fitted choli and a matching dupatta brings a soft charm to a bride. The outfit is embroidered in silver threads with fine zardozi borders and ‘butis’. The wide, rich border of the lehenga is stylized with plant and geometric patterns. Ari and zardozi work along with the auspicious coloring of the attire are responsible for the rich gold glow. These specially designed and crafted lehengas make the bride the cynosure of that function and give a special look to her.

Traditional bridal fabrics, silks and crepes, have given way to nets, satins, georgettes and sand tissue. Trendy lehengas have changed to fish cuts, A-lines and side slits. Long cholis with high necklines have been replaced by short-strapped tops with plunging necklines and embroidered blouses.

Every girl longs to look at her best or as beautiful as an angel on her wedding day since it is the most special day in her life. Her parents also dream to see their loving daughter in the bridal costume since her birth. It is an occasion for others who were anxiously waiting to have a glimpse of her in the enchanting costume. Keeping this in mind, Indian fashion designers make an exotic variety of bridal costumes in fabulous designs and patterns. These wedding trousseaus include exclusively made Indian bridal Lehangas, elegant Bridal Sari and graceful bridal Salwar Suits. These dresses are made up of rich brocade decorated with exquisite embroideries, studded pearls, diamonds and other precious gemstones. Hindu bridal dresses are usually red, pink and maroon in colors.

Each ethnicity creates its own style of wedding. Maharashtra, brides are bedecked in a Paithani sari while in Jammu and Kashmir brides go in for a bridal wear usually comprising tight trousers and heavy embroidered Kurta. Tamil brides are draped in an elegant 6 or 9 yards Kanjeevaram silk sari along with a chic choli. Punjabi brides opt for either a heavily embellished sari or a designer Bridal Lehanga with shawls having phulkari embroidery. Parsis and Catholic brides wear white color wedding dresses. Brides in the state of Bengal are dressed up in a Benarsi silk sari made up of rich lovely brocade

Red Chunari or dupatta has a significant role in the bridal wear. Chunari, made in the Bandhani style is the most popular form associated with the bridal costume.. Though bridal trousseau definitely has a religious importance in the present era it represents more of a fashion statement. Fashion designers exhibit their skill in producing bridal costumes with very delicate designs and prints. People do not hesitate to spend crores of rupees to buy the best of bridal wears. Indian culture is very rich and each region has something special to Contribute such as mirror work of Rajasthan, Phulkari embroidery of Punjab, Leharia print of Gujarat and other popular works like Kundan, Resham, Zari and Zardosi are actually ruling the fashion kingdom

Bindi or a red holy dot traditionally is worn by an Indian Hindu woman on the forehead between the two eyebrows in the belief that Bindi will protect her and her husband. It is believed that bindi on that spot opens her spiritual third eye. Another version is that the most important chakra is present between the eye brows and the bindi will prevent the loss of energy through that point. Also bindi has a connection with Yoga and Ayurvedic principles.

Bindu is a term derived from the Sanskrit word bindu meaning a dot. The traditional color of bindi is red and it is made with vermilion/ tikka powder. Married women in North India used to wear bindi as a small red dot on their forehead. Red color was believed to bring all the fortune to the bride and her family. The family’s welfare and honor were preserved by the red bindi of the bride. In due course bindi evolved into a fashion accessory and attained various shapes and colors. Girls of all age groups began to wear bindi of different colors and styles. Today the color and shape of the bindi match with the outfit worn by a person. Now bindi has become an indispensable item with saris, salwar suit, lehenga and any other Indian costumes.

Belly dancers use bindi as a beautiful accessory and bindi has an important place in ethnic dance costume and body art. Today bindi is considered as a decorative item and even unmarried and non-Hindu women in India, Bangladesh and other countries of South Asia wear this little gem. Presently, self adhesive bindi known as stickers made of felt or thin metal are available with adhesive on one side. These are simple to apply, disposable substitutes for older tilak bindis. Sticker bindis come in many colors, designs, materials, and sizes. Fancy sticker bindis may be decorated with sequins, glass beads, or rhinestones for extra dazzle.

Welcome to WordPress. This is your first post. Edit or delete it, then start blogging!

Indian Dupatta is an unavoidable accessory along with salwar kameez. Indian fashion dupatta can not 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 Chunni, Chunari and Odhni. 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. Bridal dupattas are too expensive having embroidery works done on them using golden threads. Dupattas worn on religious functions and very special occasions are also costly.

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.

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. .

In olden times both Indian men and women used to wear garlands as a part of the evening dress. This custom was followed by a practice, painting the forehead with a bindi or tilaka known as ‘Visesakachhedya’. Also, leafy bindis, thin and tender leaves cut into different shapes, were placed the forehead. Leafy bindis, known as other names such as ‘Patrachhedya’, ‘Patralekha’, ‘Patrabhanga’, or ‘Patramanjari’, were also pasted on the neck, palm, chin, breast and other parts of the body, decorated by sandal paste and other natural ingredients.

Religious significance: The central area between the eyebrows, where the bindi is placed, is supposed to be the sixth charka or ajna the seat of “hidden wisdom”. According to beliefs this chakra is the exit point for kundalini energy. The bindi is said to retain energy and strengthen concentration and to protect the lady and her family from demons or misfortune..

Myths and Significance: The vermilion, used to make bindis, is called ‘sindoor or ‘sindoora’ meaning red and representing Shakti or strength. Bindi also stands up for love; the red dot on the forehead gives a special charm to the lady’s face that attracts her lover. Sindoor and yellow turmeric are kept in temples and during celebrations, as a good omen. This represents intellect and is very special in temples dedicated to Hindu Gods Shakti, Lakshmi and Vishnu.

Sindoor in Scriptures: The significance of ‘Sindoor’ and ‘kumkum’ differs on different occasions. The practice of placing kumkum on foreheads has been highlighted in Puranas (ancient texts) like Lalitha Sahasranamam and Soundarya Lahhari. Importance of kumkum is emphasized in Indian religious texts, epics, scriptures etc…In legends we see Radha, sweetheart of Lord Krishna, turning her bindi on her forehead into a flame-like design and Draupadi, wife of Pandavas removing her bindi from her forehead in sorrow and disillusion in the epic Mahabharata. Red bindi is associated with the ancient ritual of offering blood sacrifices to please Gods. An ancient Aryan bridegroom used to make a bindi on the bride’s forehead on wedding day. When an Indian woman becomes a widow she stops wearing kumkum. When there is a death in the family the women do not wear bindi as an indication of mourning.

In ancient India, women used to wear bindi on their foreheads to highlight their marriage status. But today it is not only a fashion statement but has become the most beautiful accessory causing sudden attention. It requires certain skill and practice to achieve a perfect red dot on the forehead. Some women are expert in applying a perfect round bindi by taking a pinch of vermilion powder on their fingertip. For certain nimble-fingered ladies it is a difficult task. There are small circular discs and hollow pie coin for their rescue. The disc is placed on the forehead and a sticky wax paste is applied on the empty space in the disc. Then the empty space is covered with kumkum or vermilion and the disc is removed leaving a round bindi on the forehead. Ingredients in the red dot are sandal, aguru, kumkum and sandoor, made of zinc oxide and dye. Saffron and kusumba ground together also produce red dot.

Bindi is available in various colors, shapes and designs. To mention a few intricate designs are beadwork, handprints, meenakari work, kundan, and studded stones, pearls and diamonds. In addition to the traditional bindis there is an outstanding variety such as fancy bindis, designer bindis and bridal bindis. Designer bindis include several popular body art bindis like crystal bindi, Belly Tattoo Bindi, Glitter tattoo bindi, Arm/Wrist Band bindi, Tikka bindi, Crystal Belly Bindi, pendent bindi, crystal finger bindi, hair bindi, chin bindi, crystal eyelash bindi and crystal nail bindi. TV personalities are responsible for new bindis known as Parvati bindi, Ramola bindi and Saans bindi available in the designer shops.

There is a bindi style for every person to suit her type and character. For pretty courageous ladies there are bindis in the shapes of crescent moon, heart, stars, trees, snakes etc sparkling, radiant and bright colors. each personality type. For bold and beautiful, we have bindis in various shapes of stars, half moon, heart, tree and snakes in glittery, shiny and bright colors while simple and quiet type opts for oval, square, diamond shape bindis or a mere dot in black or dark maroon color. Liquid bindi and kumkum bindi are also in the fashion market; needless to mention the hassle free stickers.

Mehendi is a small plant grown in tropical region. When the leaves of this plant are dried and ground we get a rusty red pigment used to make beautiful designs on the palms and legs. This paste has no adverse effects on the skin; at the same time its cooling effect is good for the skin. While mehendi dye is applied to the body to create intricate patterns it causes no pain and it is an excellent alternative to permanent tattoo.

Mehendi has become a synonym for Hindu wedding since mehendi is one of the most auspicious jewels of married women and Hindus very often use the word mehendi instead of marriage. Mehendi has an indispensable place in a marriage that it is not possible for any one to imagine a marriage without mehendi. It is true that several other festivals and religious functions are celebrated using mehendi. But only Hindu wedding has become synonymous with this wonderful red paste. Ladies and even men love to get their hands to be decorated with intrinsic patterns using mehendi dye.

We see a number of religious rites before and during a Hindu wedding and mehendi have a very significant role to play, such that an Indian marriage cannot be complete without it. The rustic red color of the mehendi symbolizes prosperity and the bride wearing this color is supposed to bring fortune and prosperity with her to the new house. And mehendi’s role is very vital and auspicious in all wedding related rites.

During Mehendi ritual, conducted the day before the wedding, the girl and her female relatives and friends come together and the bride-to-be’s hands, palms, waist and feet will be decorated with the red color mehendi producing intricate patterns on those parts. This is an occasion for joy and fun. Even the groom will be given a mehendi touch.

Mehendi is an effective conditioner and dye for the hair. Married women, observing fasts/vratas apply mehendi on their hands. Lord Ganesha and Goddess Lakshmi are often seen with a big dot in the centre and four smaller dots at the sides of their hands.