This
ubiquitous garment owes its origin to the 17th century with the technique
changing over the years
ByMadhuri
Dasagrandhi
Originating
in the 17th century, craftsman from Turkey
and Persia were invited to India
Though this
was a culture that was more defined in the later half of Asaf Jahi dynasty in Hyderabad , the montage gallery at Chowmahalla Palace
The dress
comprises of churidaar, a veil/dupatta which is six-yards in length, a kurta
where the dupatta falls straight due to its heavy weight. This is accompanied
by heavy jewellery which compliments the dress embroidered with zari and other
work to give it a rich look. The dupatta is the largest part of the outfit and
is made of tissue material.
Today,
however, brides opt for net and even Banarasi dupattas since tissue does not
fall gracefully. The colours preferred are usually golden yellow/ red and
green. The silk tissue is hand-crushed and reduced to the width of a half
metre. The border is adorned with handiwork of dabka, beads, mirrors, kundan
and tikkis.
Golden
trimmings on both sides of the borders give an antique touch to the royal
ensemble. Front and back panels are embellished by handmade borders which are
adorned with zardosi embroidery. Due to this, it has now become a traditional
dress for all Muslim brides in Hyderabad
The culture
still exists in Hyderabad
(Courtesy:
Telangana Today)