Odisha Traditional Dress for Female and Male

Odisha or Orissa as it is otherwise known is one of the eastern states in India and is replete with written history . Famous for the world famous temple city, sun, sand and surf, flora and fauna and a lot more. Daring to go further you meet the Tope, Sun Temple at Konark, Puri Jagannath Temple and magnificent temple city Bhubaneswar. The state also boasts several world famous beaches such as Puri and Chandipur beside the Bay of Bengal. Apart from steel, Odisha has another major production facility in the form of Chilika Lake, the largest brackish water lagoon in the world and a migratory bird’s paradise. Odissi is a distinct form of dance native to this state and the states handicrafts integrates the cultural values of the state. Odisha, being culturally affluent incorporates officially approved traditional costumes of Odisha for men and women.

Traditional Dress for Women

Out of all traditional costumes worn by the women of Odisha one could probably say that sarees are the most famous ones. However, there are several distinct types of sarees that are particularly popular in this region. Here we have discussed about  Odisha traditional dress.

• Sambalpuri Saree: Called the Odisha’s Juni Saree or Sambalpuri saree, this type of saree is very famous due to its excellent ikat work hand-woven by the locals of Odisha. This is most pegged on its use of colours and simple patterns.
• Berhampuri Saree: The Berhampuri saree is from the Ganjam district and the sarees are made of pure silk with temple designs.
• Khandua Saree: This saree and different styles coming in unique designs and prints that feature work of natural designs and mythological characters.

Besides sarees, the women of Odisha wear traditional blouses which is known as cholis or radis. These blouses are accentuated with embroidery work and mirror work most of the time.

Traditional Dress for Men

The conventional costume of male Odias, is very understated but nevertheless stylish. Dhoti-kurta is one of the famous Odisha traditional dress.

• Dhoti: A type of lower body wear made by wrapping a piece of cloth around the waist and legs, the dhoti is easy and breathable wear.
• Kurta: This is a shirt that is generally unconstructed, may be called an Indian robe or an Indian shirt and is worn over other garments; it is generally of cotton or silk material. It may be simple or may be decorated by embroidery or other fine works.

An even more common Odisha traditional dress worn by males of Odisha is the gamchha garment. It is a uni sex garment that is rectangular in shape and may consist of checkers or stripes and may b used as a towel, scarf or head gear. Apart from serving its outer use, the gamchha has indeed a deep rooted cultural value of the Oriya people.

They desired culture of both formal and contemporary styles in Odisha in the recent times. This Silhouette is worn with modern accessories like blouses for women, and groomed like kurta-pyjama sets for men in new trendy fabrics and styles. But the younger generation of Odisha has replaced the apparels with the modern ones and the ethnic dress of Odisha is still liked and worn on occasions like festivals and cultural programmes.