Every tribe in Meghalaya has its own cultural dress; the Khasi, the Jaintia, and the Garo tribes are not an exception. The clan has Khasi women wearing the elegant jainsem which is a two piece dress that occasionally features beautiful embroidery. Garo women use some form of dressing however most of them put on skirts ranging from just some cloth that covers their private part to what may be referred to as gowns. Jaintia women use Dhara similar to Jainsem but the patterns on the dress are different. Gentleman prefer to include dhotis or lungis that include shirts or jacket in their attires. The native dress is still used today with a bias toward festive and ceremonial occasions that relate the endearingly colorful history of Meghalaya. Meghalaya is one of the most beautiful places in India and has a vibrant Meghalaya traditional dress attached with a cultural value. The Khasi, Garo and Jaintia are principal tribes of the state and all have their own set of dress code.
Traditional Dress for Women
- Khasi Tribe:
- Jainsem: This is the most famous Meghalaya traditional dress. This Khasi ethnic Meghalaya traditional dress for women. It comprises of two rectangular strips of cloth with, normally silk or cotton, worn stylishly round the body. The lower part is worn round the belly and the upper part covers the upper part of the body up to the shoulder.
- Dhara: Just like the Jainsem for Wahung/pathen, the Dhara is the traditional dress of the Jaintia people. Many also have embroidered designs and bright colors on them.
- Ragam: This is an authentic blouse made by Garo women through simple but exquisite work. It is very long and rather baggy, and traditionally it is made of cotton or silk.
- Eking: A loin cloth that is not as large as the Ragam and which is to be wrapped around the waist.
Traditional Dress for Men
- Khasi Tribe:
-
- Dhoti-Kurtas: Most of the men cover their lower body with dhoti-kurtas, or a long floating shirt, and a piece of cloth worn around the waste.
- Ryndia: A garment of the south Asian and middle eastern regional namely Pakistan and India where it is commonly worn during winters.
- Garo Tribe:
- Dhoti-Kurtas: The Garo men wear dhoti- Kurtas similar to the Khasi men but the Garo’s has a more elaborate design.
- Gamcha: A classical item of clothing, predominantly a part of a towel or a shawl.
Another is Influence of Nature and Culture
The Meghalaya traditional dress is highly associated with its natural resource and ethnicity. Natural dyes and indigenous textiles show the relation of the people to the natural fabric. In most of the garments, complex embroidery and elaborate patterns are of flowers and leaves, animal designs and other mythological representations.
Modern Interpretations
Today more contemporary trends have been incorporated into the costumes traditionally worn by Meghalaya. There are strong influences of the traditional new statuses and the fusions wears hence embraced by the designers reflect the state’s diverse cultural meaning. But they do have their own traditions and still they are using traditional garments during festivals and other important occasions.
Meghalaya invariably presents the best cultured dress material to the best dressed traditional costume. It preserves the cultural views of the tribal states of India and till date serves as motivation to the young designers and fashion lovers.
