Traditional Nepali costumes

ITA Vers.---> Costumi tradizionali del Nepal

Nepal is a country rich in history and traditions. Traditions that still today  continue to fascinate .In this post I'll show you  the traditional Nepalese dresses ,rich of colors, and jewels that adorn every detail.

 

Gunyo Cholo , traditional dress for Nepali women.

The Gunyo Cholo ceremony is a traditional Nepalese ritual to celebrate the coming of age of a girl. The girl is gifted with the traditional outfit of ‘Gunyo Cholo’ and sometimes a sari (wedding Nepali dress) , to signify her “entrance” into womanhood. This celebration is the transition from  a child to being a woman To celebrate this occasion family and friends gather together to bless the young woman and the night is filled with lots of food and dancing.

Daura-Suruwal, traditional dress for Nepali men.

Daura-Suruwal or Labeda Suruwal is a traditional national costume of Nepal worn by men . It is also worn by the people of neighboring Sikkim and Darjeeling. The coat was added to the costume by Jang Bahadur Rana, Prime minister of Nepal in the 19th century. Daura is the upper wear and Suruwal is the trouser. Daura Suruwal has several religious beliefs identifying its designs and has remained the same for centuries. That costume is for men and children . Daura-Suruwal   is worn together with a hat called Dhaka Topi. The hat is made of a fabric called dhaka, which is also used for a type of blouse, a dhaka-ko-cholo. The word topi means "hat" in Nepali language. Men wear a long kurta dawra suruyal and patuka instead of a belt.

 

 

 

 Sari, traditional dress for future Nepali bride.

A sari, saree or shari is a Nepali female garment^. . It consists of a drape varying from five to nine yards in length  and two to four feet in breadth that is typically wrapped around the waist, with one end draped over the shoulder, baring the midriff.

The sari is usually worn over a petticoat (parkar परकर) ,with a fitted upper garment commonly called a blouse . The blouse has short sleeves and is usually cropped at the midriff. The sari is associated with grace and is widely regarded as a symbol of Nepalese culture. This dress is commonly used during the most important ceremonies, such as marriage.

The Nepali wedding ceremony is grand affair where the bride and bridegroom perform the Puja and take best wishes as well as blessing from relatives, friends and family members. The marriage venue is decorated by colorful paper flowers and twinkling lights. A Nepalese bride dresses in the bridal color of red and is bejeweled with gold and precious gems. Traditionally, the bride and groom are escorted to the marriage venue. In a village the couple reach the marriage venue on horses or baskets, while in a city marriage the couple arrive at the venue in a decorated car. Music is an essential part of marriages. The traditional musicare played as the Nepali people believe that playing traditional music strengthens the nuptial knot and pleases God.

 

 

Kho , traditional dress for Nepali people.

The Kho or Bakhu (बख्खु) is a traditional dress worn by ethnic Sikkimese people
 f Sikkim and Nepal. It is a loose, cloak-style garment that is fastened at the neck on one side and near the waist with a silk or cotton belt similar to the Tibetan chuba and to the Ngalop gho of Bhutan, but sleeveless.Women wear a silken, full-sleeve blouse called a honju inside the kho; a loose gown type garment fastened near the waist, tightened with a belt. Married women tie a multi-coloured striped apron of woolen cloth called pangden around their waist.Male members wear a loose trouser under the kho. The traditional outfit is complemented by embroidered leather boots by both men and women.

 

 Dhoti, traditional dress for Nepali men.

 The dhoti (Bhaad-gaaule)  also known as vetti, mundu, pancha or mardani, is a traditional men's garment worn in the Indian subcontinent .The use of dhoti is found predominantly in countries like India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Myanmar and even in African sub-continent. It is a rectangular piece of unstitched cloth, usually around 4.5 metres  long, wrapped around the waist and the legs and knotted at the waist, resembling a long skirt. The pancha is worn with a short kurta called kediya on top. In both north and south India, notably Bihar and parts of Sri Lanka, the garment is worn with a kurta on top, the combination known simply as dhoti kurta. Long single cloth is worn especially by the priests of temples.

A choli , traditional dress for Nepali women.

A choli (Nepali: चोली),  is a midriff-baring blouse or upper garment in the Indian sari costume worn in India, southern Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and other countries where the sari is worn.[citation needed] It is also part of the ghagra choli costume of India. The choli is cut to fit tightly to the body and has short sleeves and a low neck. The choli is usually cropped, allowing exposure of the midriff and the navel.

The Lungi , traditional dress for Nepali men.
Unlike dhotis, which are linear like sheets, lungis are sewn into a tube shape like a skirt. They are especially worn in hot regions. There are also cheaper "open" lungis, in identical dimensions but not sewn into a tube shape. Children's lungis are available in approximately 2/3 of this size. They are normally woven from cotton and come in a variety of designs and colors. Silk lungis are available for ceremonial purposes such as weddings. The most common styles are either solid-colored or plaid, reflecting the relative ease and cost-effectiveness of producing these patterns on a power loom. Blue is particularly popular, since it fades to pleasant tones in contrast to other colors. Regardless of the design or color, lungis are often lined at the top and bottom with a black/white stripe containing reinforced weaving to prevent fraying.It is a garment worn by women, men and children.

Newar , traditional dress for Nepali people.

Traditional Newar clothing refers to the everyday clothes worn by the Newar people of Nepal who are indigenous to the Kathmandu Valley and surrounding regions. The garments are associated with the old aristocracy, merchants, farmers, craftsmen and professionals.Most of the clothes are made of homespun. Weaving was a major industry in the Kathmandu Valley. Many people had handlooms in their homes, and in the old days a spinning wheel and a seed separator were one of the required bridal gifts.People wove cloth for personal use or for sale. The finished cloth was sent to be dyed to the dyers who made up a caste group. The practice of home weaving continued till the 1960s. Women warping the yarn on the streets were a common sight till those times.

 

 

Tapālan , for men.
Men's common costume consists of a long shirt called tapālan (Nepal Bhasa: तपालं) and tightfitting trousers known as suruwā (सुरुवा:). A waistcoat and coat may be worn over the shirt. Today, the garment is worn during special occasions, official functions and festivals while it is still everyday wear for many among the older generation. Men dress in tapālan and suruwā and women wear the hāku patāsi when taking part in the New Year's Day parade of Nepal Sambat. This traditional dress is also worn during wedding processions








Hāku patāsi , for women.
Women wear black cotton saris with a red border known as hāku patāsi (हाकु पतासि) or hāku parsi (हाकु पर्सि). It is still widely used especially among farmer women as everyday wear and is the most popular dress during festive occasions. A blouse fastened with cloth ties called misālan (मिसालं) is worn with the sari. A shawl, gā (गा), is wrapped around the upper part of the body.












Bhāntānlan, traditional dress for Nepali girl.
Girls wear an ankle-length tight-fitting gown known as bhāntānlan (भान्तांलं) which extends from the neck to the ankles. It is slit at the sides to reveal the legs; the upper part is fastened with cloth ties. Drop crotch pants were another popular item of clothing for girls. They are worn with a knee-length dress.

Janku, traditional Nepali ceremonial dress.
Special costumes are worn during lifecycle ceremonies like Janku, a baby's first rice feeding, initiation rites, weddings, old-age rituals and investitures. A child undergoing his or her first rice feeding is dressed in a vest and cap made of brocade. Boys celebrating their coming-of-age ceremony wear a loincloth. For Buddhist boys, the corresponding rite is Bare Chhuyegu which is initiation into the monkhood, and they wear a monk's robe. Girls dress up in fancy attire of silk and brocade in grownup designs for their Ihi and Baray, two ceremonies they undergo before reaching their teens.
Priests wear ankle-length pleated gowns during special religious services. Caps, turbans and crowns are the headwear worn with ceremonial garments.





I hope this post has been helpful to identify the various traditional costumes of Nepal. As soon I update the post with new clothes. Continue to follow the blog, comment and share your thoughts.
DHANYABAD  Thank you !