While sarees are the common Indian wear for women, the traditional bridal wears show interesting variations according to regions. Lehengas, Salwars, and Ghagras can be found more commonly among Northern and Western brides. A Saree is common for the brides in the East while it gets modified in the North East.
Apart from the bridal outfits, the bridal adornments also show beautiful variations along with associated wedding rituals, culture, and ethnicity. All in all, the different types of Indian Bridal wear make it very interesting to take a look into each of them. Let’s take a closer look to a few of them-
Bridal Outfits in Kerala (Malayali Bride)
The bridal dress is a white silk saree with golden border called ‘Kasavu’. They wear gold jewellery but also a lot of floral jewellery. This gives simplicity and elegance to the bridal dressing. They wear a necklace, bracelets, and garlands on the hair of Jasmine and Rajanigandha flowers.
Bridal Outfits in Andhra-Telangana (Telegu Bride)
The Telegu brides have to change their outfits twice for the rituals. During the Kanyadaan ceremony, the bride is brought in a basket by her maternal male relatives. At this time she wears a Kanjeevaram saree complete with her bridal jewellery. Next, in the Madhuparkam ceremony, the bride changes into a white cotton saree with a red brocade border. Jewellery consists of gold and pearl.
Tamilian Bridal Outfit
The Tamil bride wears Kanjeevaram silk sarees in bright colors. The sarees have exquisite Zari borders and golden ‘Buta’ embroidery. The most beautiful adornments of the bride are the jewellery decked on the hair and worn around the waist. The traditional ‘Jadai Nagam’ is worn on the braid of the hair which symbolizes a cobra—standing for fertility.
Bridal Outfits from Odisha
The bridal dress is a yellow saree with red borders. Gold jewellery is worn by the bride and similar to Bengal, the bride’s feet are decorated with the red ‘Alta’. A scarf called ‘Uttariya’ is also worn around the saree.
Punjabi Bridal Outfits
The traditional wedding dress is a Salwar Kameez or Lehenga. The brides are gorgeously decorated head to toe. The colour chosen is mostly red and the entire dress is exquisitely decorated with beads and embroidery. A dupatta covers the head and the jewellery that is worn includes the ‘Ranihaar’—long, ornamental gold necklace, decorated red and white ‘Choora’ bangles, Tika, Nath and most importantly the ‘Kalire’. The Kalire is tied to the Choora. It consists of pretty golden and silver danglings.
Bridal Outfits in Uttar Pradesh
The dress is usually Lehenga Choli with rich embroidery. Red is the usual colour chosen and the dress can be of silk, velvet or crepe. Gold Jewellery adorns the bride with ‘choora’ bangles and ‘bichua’—the toe ring which is very important for a U.P. bride.
Bengali Bridal Outfit
The traditional Bengali bridal wear is the Benarasi silk saree. Red is the traditional colour, but similar shades are also worn. The saree has beautiful golden Zari work all over. Gold jewellery is worn all over. A white Styrofoam tiara made in traditional design completes the look. Another beautiful part is the use of sandalwood paste and red paint designs painted on the bride’s forehead, cheeks, and chin. ‘Alta’ a red dye is applied on the palm and feet.
Kashmiri Bridal Outfits
The traditional bridal dress is called the ‘Pheran’.The bride has to wear an elaborate headgear called the ‘Tarang’. A white cloth turban called ‘Zoojh’ is tied on the bride’s head along with a ‘Kalpush’. The Zoojh is covered with a golden glazed paper. Finally, a beautiful drape of embroidered dupatta covers the head. The bridal Lehenga has heavy Zari and Kashmiri embroidery. Heavy gold jewellery is worn. A piece of unique jewellery called the ‘Dejharoo’ is worn which comprises a pair of small pendants worn through the earlobes.
Apart from these regionally diverse bridal outfits, there are also other differences in bridal wears across India which we are going to share with you in our next blog post. It is indeed fascinating to see bridal outfits in so many designs.
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