By Hemant SharmaIf you’re planning on exploring the Odisha state, that may be because of the so many important temples in this state, right? Well, other than that, people give one more reason to visit this state, and that is to just explore and feel the culture of this place. And sure enough, the first hint of that is when you see so many people dressed in the traditional dresses of Odisha. Today, we’re here to talk about just that.
Women’s Traditional Dresses in Odisha
1. Sambalpuri Saree
Alright, so the Sambalpuri saree is super famous over in Orissa. It’s made in this stunning fashion called Ikat, where they dye the threads prior to weaving. These sarees generally have very attractive designs, such as flowers, bicycles, and peacocks. The most popular colors are red and black, just so you know! By the way, the saree is said to be most closely bound to the worship of the Lord Jagannath, which is a BIG thing in Odisha.
2. Bomkai or Sonepuri Saree
So, these specific sarees are created in the intricate combination of Ikat patterns and embroidery techniques mixed together with meticulous handwork. Then usually, the body of the saree is plain with an extremely elaborate-designed pallu at the end. Moreover, the colors are mostly quite bright like red, blue, and yellow to have some degree corresponding to tribal art in their look.
3. Berhampuri Patta Saree
Okay, this saree belongs to Berhampur, an awesome city by the name of Silk City. For cool temple designs along the borders or for Puja, women wear it pretty much at festivals and weddings. It usually comes along with a joda, you know, a matching cloth for the men in the state.
4. Pasapali Saree
This saree has an extraordinarily unique checkerboard pattern. It is made with a double Ikat thing and all. And it looks extremely bold and colorful, well, most of the time. And yes, the name actually is derived from pasa which is a dice game, because the pattern is quite cool as a board game.
5. Khandua Saree
Okay, so these next types of sarees are always made up of silk and have an overall soft and shiny look to it. And all women put it on for big-time religious ceremonies and festivals, mainly. Its other feature color options are red, yellow, orange, etc.
6. Kataki Saree
Okay, this saree is from Cuttack where one can find very intricate and rich traditional designs. It is worn pretty much for pujas and cultural events.
Accessories and Styling
Uttariyo
This is the super-long cloth draped over the head by women wearing sarees or lehengas, basically for weddings or festivals. The weave looks cool with those golden thread thingies, called zari.
Jewelry
So, women wear some pretty great looking silver jewelry, bead jewelry, brass jewelry, you know, all that. Then, there is this extremely old silverwork called Tarakashi, which is very detailed and about 500 years old. Coin necklaces are a display of wealth, and sure enough, those nose pins keep the evil eye away.
Dressing for Different Occasions
For weddings, brides are usually seen wearing the most beautiful yellow sarees with red borders. Oh, and sometimes they go Sambalpuri, Khandua, or your Banarasi kinda sarees, very pretty, to be honest. And then, for festivals, people wear bright sarees with cool designs. Daily wear is more the simple cotton sarees. Plain and simple!
Men’s Traditional Dresses in Odisha
1. Dhoti
One of the characteristics of the dhoti is that it’s actually a long cloth wrapped around the body like waist, legs, and all. In Odisha, though, the dhoti looks very nice with a border of a bright red or brick color. And, yes, the dhoti is worn by men on various occasions such as rituals, festivals, and even during daily life.
2. Sambalpuri Kurta
So a kurta is actually a very long shirt. The very brand-specific Sambalpuri Kurta: it is made with that same cool Ikat stuff as the sarees-with-square-patterns-and-all kinds. It is, thankfully, pretty much worn during festivals and grand events.
3. Pyjamas
Well, pyjamas are simple pants that go with kurtas. They are quite soft and comfy, mostly plain white and all.
4. Sherwani
Well, this sherwani is the most cherished attire worn by men for weddings, and that’s not just the case in Odisha; men usually go for this dress in the entirety of India. This attire can be worn with a turban, pyjamas, etc.
5. Pheta
The Pheta is the most royal piece of cloth tied onto the head for occasions such as weddings and festivals, etc. It just looks good, basically.
6. Gamchha
Gamchha, as it is popularly known, is a fine-looking cotton dhoti-like material, usually in colourful checks, wrapped around the neck or head, and so helpful to wipe off sweat. It’s a big thing in Odia culture.