Weddings in Bihar
The land of bright, vibrant hues and colors, also known as Bihar, is popular for its elaborate wedding rituals and the interweaving of traditional cultures with costumes. The rustic crowd of Bihar is known for its outfits that feature a wide range of colors, textures, and hand woven designs, embroideries, as well as prints. Owing to diversity in population, the state witnesses different types of wedding outfits, with popular ones including saris, suits, Dhotis, Lungis, and loose trousers or pajamas along with kurtas. Both men and women resort to attractive apparels and intricately crafted ensembles for weddings.
Origin
Bihar, which is known for its wide array of costumes is perhaps most popular for its traditionally inspired outfits that are still popular in the world of contemporary India. Saris have been popular for centuries, with women wearing them for marriages. Brides in Bihar dress up in saris that come in colors like maroon and red with golden patchwork or Zari embroidery. More often, these saris are complemented with Tikli or forehead adorning ornaments along with Bindi or a small round tattoo on the forehead (generally an accessory in maroon color that can be stuck on the forehead). For weddings, Tattoo Paintings or Mehendi is widely popular. Muslim women in this region generally wear burqas and Shararas- ( A kurta with flair bottoms).
Men have been known for wearing Dhoti with kurta. Dhoti for a wedding is usually worn in white color with a designer border in different hues. Kurtas are plain with little embroidery close to the neck. Muslim men may wear Lungi or a single piece of garment tied on the bottom with kurta.
Varieties in Style and Attire
While saris are popular all over the country, it is the unique tying style which makes Bihari saris different than the rest. In Bihar, especially for weddings, women wear ‘Seedha-Aanchal’ or front border. The saris are tied with the border pleated in the front rather than free flowing at the back. Since the borders are at the front, elaborate detailing is used, which includes floral patterns in adaptable color schemes like orange, green, red or pink along with side borders that may feature a solid color.
The use of ‘Seedha-Aanchal’ plays a significant role in Bihari culture as it allows women to easily drape their heads with the ‘pallu’ or the side of a sari. Cotton and silk are popularly used along with georgette or chiffon. In regions like Patna or Gaya, bangles are excessively popular with females, who may adorn themselves with colored bala or Bali during the wedding day. Attar or perfumes are popularly used on the wedding day along with a range of ornaments like Chandrahar, Tilri, Panchlari, Satlari, and Sikri.
Men’s wear is quite attractive and aesthetically appealing during wedding ceremonies as well. Kurtas and Pajamas are widely worn along with Dhoti and Lungi for rural regions. Luxuriating fragrances or Attar’ is popular with men as well. Milkmen in Bihar region are known for wearing ‘Kundals’ or earrings during a wedding.
Present Day Scenario and Innovations
Bihar has combined western style, contemporary designs and rustic dressing techniques to give a twist to their wedding outfits. Saris now feature more embroidery styles than before and basic kurta pajamas have given way to Sherwani, which features stunning, intricately crafted kurtas. Colors have also evolved with women experimenting with lighter shades than going only for maroons and reds. Ornaments in silver and Mehendi tattoos have also received an innovative touch with styles like Arabic Mehendi Design. In addition to this, saris with simple borders are now in vogue across Bihar in comparison to the more ornate ones. Women in urban regions also experiment with Lehenga Choli for the wedding.
Global Wearability
The best thing about weddings in Bihar is that they haven’t evolved too much and have stuck true to their traditions. At the same time, with little innovations and constant awareness, their rustic designs have become popular all over the world with saris and dhotis becoming a quintessential part of Indian and Western Culture. The evergreen floral designs and stunning, classy embroideries on the dress make them perfect for global wear. Saris are widely worn in different American and European Countries, where Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi women adorn them and make it popular in various social circuits.
The comfort of these outfits, especially pajamas, sherwani, and saris is what gives Bihar clothing an edge in the global market.
References
Categories: Wedding Types, Weddings & Festivals