Figure 1.-- Here we see Indian girls during the British Raj, probably about 1910.

India has its origins as one of the great river valley civiizations. And like other important civilizations, women assumed subordinate roles with the Neolitic Revolution. Of all the great world civilizations, Indiam women may have been the most repressed. This is deeply rooted in India's ancient history. There are four major periods: the Vedic, Epic period, Jainism and Buddhism, Dharmaśāstras/ Mánusmṛiti. One author tells about the decline of "women’s dignified role and position entirely to a subservient one from Vedic period to the period of Dharmaśāstras, Mánusmṛiti". [Pal] Women seem to have had the highest status in the earlier eras. The early or Rig Vedic Period (1500 BC–1000 BC) apparently held women in a respectable status. Dravidian culture 'has had a very long history as a referential term for the southern portion of India'. [Marr, p. 30.] Women were not only respected and even in the home and family. They were also honored by their participation in all the socio-cultural activities of early-Indian The saga of women’s status in ancient Indian civilization'. Over time time status of women in Indian society declined. The earliest information on women's clothing come from sculpture. This is because we have sculptural representations that predate writing. And the ealiest writing from the Indus Valley civilization is still not dechiphered and may never be. There is no information on girls clothing which likekly did not exist. Girls wore small versions of their cmother'd clothing as boys wore smammll versions of thir fther's clothing. The eaelies depictions of women show them wearing minimal clothing, probably representing both the climate and the cost of textiles. Sculptures from the Maury and Sunga periods (about 300 BC) show men and women wearing rectangular pieces of fabric, on the lower part of the body and one on the upper part, but not much more. Rectngular textiles are notabklr because they re the easiest to weave and priduce. Firm fitting textiles reqire both advanced technolkogy and more labor, amking them more costly. Images from the Gupta period (about the 7th or 8th AD) show evidence of stitched upper garments combined with a breast band aling with a lower garment. And along with religion, cultural contact with different cultures (Greek, Roman, Arab and Chinese ) have intriduced new fashions. The lat such influenjce was the Brurush Raj. In the 20yj century we see Western fadhion indluences, most notably intriducing the idea of distinct fashions for children. Indian fashions foe women are well established and have inluences fashions in many other countries. The classic Indian garment for women and girls is the sari/saree which we see here (figure 1). It is a female garment wudely worn througout the Indian subcontinent. It is arguably the oldest garment still in popular use. The earliest textile clothing would hve been drped garments. Fashion experts date the sari back 5,000 yearsmeaning basically it is as old as Indian Civilization itself. It seems tgo hve been worn in the Indus River civilization (3300–1300 BC). The Vedas, the oldest Hindu religious texts, refer to it. The sari is a wrapped garment, a strip of unstitched cloth which can range from 4-9 meters in length, depending on the sizeof the wiman abd hiw the cloyth is draped. There are various draping styles. Some of the best known are the Sambalpuri Saree from theast, Mysore silk and Ilkal of Karnataka and, Kanchipuram of Tamil Nadu from te outh, Paithani from Maharashtra, and Banarasi from the North, but there are many others. The most common draping stylk for the sari to be first wrapped around the waist, with one end then draped over the shoulder baring the midriff. Modesty conventions have varied have changed over time and defined differently in various regions and communities. It was not always about covering your face and body parts. And India's hot climate hs been an important factor. Hinfusism and islan are the two mjor religiions iday, but msny other relgions hve left their mark and re activevin indua riday. India's many differebt religions religions have also been been important influenes. There are regional variations. In southern India, mang women did not cover their breasts.

Status

India has its origins as one of the great river valley civiizations. And like other important civilizations, women assumed subordinate roles with the Neolitic Revolution. Of all the great world civilizations, Indiam women may have been the most repressed. This is deeply rooted in India's ancient histoiry. There are four major periods: the Vedic, Epic period, Jainism and Buddhism, Dharmaśāstras/ Mánusmṛiti. One author tells about the decline of "women’s dignified role and position entirely to a subservient one from Vedic period to the period of Dharmaśāstras, Mánusmṛiti". [Pal] Women seem to have had the highest status in the earlier eras. The early or Rig Vedic Period (1500 BC–1000 BC) apparently held women in a respectable status. Dravidian culture 'has had a very long history as a referential term for the southern portion of India'. [Marr, p. 30.] Women were not only respected and even in the home and family. They were also honored by their participation in all the socio-cultural activities of early Indian The saga of women’s status in ancient Indian civilization'. Ovrer time time the dtaus of women in Indian society declined, This included the Epic or Later Vedic period (1000 BC–600 BC), the Jainism and Buddhism period (600 BC–200 BC) and the age of Dharmaśāstras, Mánusmriti (200 BC–647 AD). Some of these periods and cultural influences oer lappe despte the neat chronology often given. One schollar explains, "The Dharmaśāstras are part of Hindu discourse, and the Dharmaśāstras period is considered to be from 600 BC to 200 AD. On the other hand Jainism and Buddhism also flourished in ancient India during the same period. Women’s status began to decline in 200 BC during the Dharmaśāstras period with Mánu’s codification (Mánusmriti) of societal legislation. Therefore, to avoid an overlap of periods and to highlight women’s status in ancient Indian civilization irrespective of religious bias, the Jainism and Buddhism period and the period of Dharmaśāstras, Mánusmriti is considered separately as 600 BC to 200 BC, and 200 BC to 647 AD, respectively." [Pal, p.180.] Soon Islamic teachings would begin to affect Indian thinking, well befot the Mugal era (16th-18tg centuries). As a result you have cultural patterns like ritual suicide--sutee. This develped from the Sanskrit 'sati' neaning 'good woman' or 'chaste wife'. Suttee was the Indian custom of a wife volutarily bimmolating herself on the funeral pyre of her dead husband or otherwise joining her husband in death soon after his death. Sutee was not as widely practiced as sometimes suggested, it was an ideal held up for womanly devotion by certain Brahman and royal castes. This was no finally ended until the Raj. Even today the diusrespect toward can be seen in high rates of rape and physical attacks on women. All this is interesting, for a number of reasons. First because od the imprivements during the british Raj. Secondly because in all the feminist courses being taught in American universities, ratreky bis it mentioned that Western civilization, especially, the United States was and conyinues to be the leading force in rights for women. Rather the focus in women's studies is to denigrarte America and American society.

Chronology

The earliest information on women's clothing come from sculpture. This is because we have sculptural representations that predate writing. And the ealiest writing from the Indus Valley civilization is still not dechiphered and may never be. There is no information on girls clothing which likekly did not exist. Girls wore small versions of their cmother'd clothing as boys wore smammll versions of thir fther's clothing. The eaelies depictions of women show them wearing minimal clothing, probably representing both the climate and the cost of textiles. Sculptures from the Maury and Sunga periods (about 300 BC) show men and women wearing rectangular pieces of fabric, on the lower part of the body and one on the upper part, but not much more. Rectngular textiles are notabklr because they re the easiest to weave and priduce. Firm fitting textiles reqire both advanced technolkogy and more labor, amking them more costly. Images from the Gupta period (about the 7th or 8th AD) show evidence of stitched upper garments combined with a breast band aling with a lower garment. And along with religion, cultural contact with different cultures (Greek, Roman, Arab and Chinese ) have introduced new fashions. The lat such influenjce was the Brurush Raj. In the 20yj century we see Western fadhion indluences, most notably intriducing th idea of distinct fashions for children. . In the 15th Century we see Muslim and Hindu women wearing different outfits and the influence of the Mughal empire was decisive - they ruled most of India and Pakistan in the 16th and 17th Centuries. I have not seen written codes about how to dress, but Muslim women normally covered themselves and wore divided garments. These outfits gave birth to garments like the salwar kameez - virtually seen as a national dress in India today. As did Britih attitudes during the Raj..

Garments

Indian fashions foe women are well established and have inluences fashions in many other countries. The classic Indian garment for women and girls is the sari/saree which we see here (figure 1). It is a female garment wudely worn througout the Indian subcontinent. It is arguably the oldest garment still in popular use. The earliest textile clothing would hve been drped garments. Fashion experts date the sari back 5,000 yearsmeaning basically it is as old as Indian Civilization itself. It seems tgo hve been worn in the Indus River civilization (3300–1300 BC). The Vedas, the oldest Hindu religious texts, refer to it. The sari is a wrapped garment, a strip of unstitched cloth which can range from 4-9 meters in length, depending on the sizeof the wiman abd hiw the cloyth is draped. There are various draping styles. Spme of the best known are the Sambalpuri Saree from theast, Mysore silk and Ilkal of Karnataka and, Kanchipuram of Tamil Nadu from te outh, Paithani from Maharashtra, and Banarasi from the North, but there are many others. The most common draping stylk for the sari to be first wrapped around the waist, with one end then draped over the shoulder baring the midriff. The sari today is commonly wrn over a petticoat. We are not sure when this cinvention developed, probably duriung the British Raj. Sari may also be worn with a kind of blouse top. This may be '"backless' or halter neck. These are often ore dressy sari with fancy embellishments such as decorative mirrors or embroidery wore for special occasions. There are even unifirm for saris worn in the military. Fir thee thereus usully a half-sleeve shirt tucked in at the waist. Teenagers often wear half-sari -- a three piece set consisting of a langa, a choli and a stole wrapped over it giving a ari look. Women usually wear full sarus. Wedding saris are typically red or pink, a tradition that goes back centuries. [Ramdya, p.45.] Saris are usually known with different names in different places. there are also different names for differebt types.

Modestty

Modesty conventions have varied have changed over time and defined differently in various regions and communities. It was not always about covering your face and body parts. And India's hot climate hs been an important factor. Hinfusism and islan are the two mjor religiions iday, but msny other relgions hve left their mark and re activevin indua riday. India's many differebt religions religions have also been been important influenes. There are regional variations. In southern India, mang women did not cover their breasts.

Sources

Ramdya, Kavita (2010). Bollywood Weddings: Dating, Engagement, and Marriage in Hindu America.(Lanham: Lexington Books, 2010).

Created: 12:39 AM 1/24/2022
Last updated: 12:39 AM 1/24/2022