Brides of India, Part 2
We’re back with the Part Two of our Brides of India series. Did you check out Part 1 – you really should, it was pretty spectacular!
Once more, we are reaching far beyond the iconic crimson lehenga, and celebrating the diverse beauty of India’s brides – from brocade Nawabi ghararas to silver toe rings from Coorg, and traditional Guajarati Panetar drapes.
There are plenty more to come in the next part of our series, so watch this space!
Gujarati Bride
Gujarati brides are draped in two significant garments – the Panetar saree and the Gharchola. The Panetar is made from pure silk, has a white body, decorated red border, and is embellished with gold zari. The Gharchola is the more recognizable of the two, and is dyed a deep red, adorned with gold weaving in a grid pattern. With the Panetar typically being a gift from the bride’s maternal uncle, and the Gharchola from her in-laws, the Gujarati bride wears both together to signify her two worlds.
Muslim Bride from Uttar Pradesh
Not just in UP, but all along the Hindi belt, Muslim brides often wear elegant ghararas, traditionally from Lucknow. The entire ensemble is comprised of a mid-thigh length kurta, a heavy dupatta, and the gharara – wide leg pants, ruched at the knee to flare out dramatically. Each gharara is crafted from over 12 meters of fabric – often brocades and silks! Ghararas take many forms – our favorite being the chata-pati patchwork style, and are a relic from the Nawabs of Awadh – making this royal garment one of the most nostalgic and vintage worn by the brides of India.
Coorg Bride
These gorgeous brides from Karnataka embody traditional elegance. They drape their wedding sarees in the unique Kodagu way, by tucking the pleats on the backside of the waist, rather than in the front. Atop this saree are strands of gold jewelry, and dainty matching bangles. Our favorite pieces though, are the graceful silver trinkets Coorg brides wear on their feet, with toe rings on each toe attached to an ankle bracelet woven around their feet.
Bengali Bride
Classically beautiful and eternally graceful, Bengali brides wear a traditional deep crimson and white saree adorned with fine zari work. What really sets their bridal look apart are all the iconic embellishments – from the large bindi to the forehead decorations, and the iconic mukut. The mukut is worn around the head, adorning the hair, and is the hallmark of a Bengali bride. And as a finishing touch, their feet are painted with aalta – a deep red pigment that decorates even the soles.
Parsi Bride
A Parsi marriage, called a lagan, is unlike any others in India. Not only in the unique wedding rituals it follows, but also in the simplicity with which a Parsi bride dresses. Whereas in most other parts of India, more is more when it comes to bridal fashion, Parsi wedding wear is a white saree, sometimes with a soft touch of gold or silver thread. The jewelry is equally minimal and very dainty – making for a truly beautiful, glowing bride.