For the upper part of the body the principal article of clothing is the
_kurta_. The Persian name for this is _pairahan_ and the Arabic _kamis_,
whence "chemise." This _kurta_ is the equivalent for the shirt of
Europe. It is usually of white cotton, and has the opening or _gala_ in
front, at the back, or on either side indifferently. It was formerly
fastened with strings, but now with the _ghundi_ (the old form of
button) and _tukmah_ or loop. In southern India, Gujarat and in the
United Provinces the _kurta_ is much the same as to length and fit as
the English shirt; as the traveller goes northward from Delhi to the
Afghan border he sees the _kurta_ becoming longer and looser till he
finds the Pathan wearing it almost to his ankles, with very full wide
sleeves. The sleeves are everywhere long and are sometimes fastened with
one or two buttons at the wrist.
Mussulmans always wear some form of trousers. They are known as _izar_
(Arabic) or _pa'ejáma_[13] (Persian). This article of clothing is
sometimes loose, sometimes tight all the way, sometimes loose as far as
the knee and tight below like Jodhpur riding breeches. They are fastened
round the waist with a scarf or string called _kamarband_ (waistband) or
_izarband_, and are usually of white cotton. The varieties of cut are
sharai or canonical, orthodox, which reach to the ankles and fit as
close to the leg as European trousers; _rumi_ or _ghararedar_, which
reach to the ankles but are much wider than European trousers (this
pattern is much worn by the Shias); and _tang_ or _chust_, reaching to
the ankles, from which to the knee they fit quite close. When this last
kind is "rucked" at the ankle it is called _churidar_ (Plate I. fig. 4).
They are sometimes buttoned at the ankle, especially in the Meerut
district. The _shalwar_ pattern, very large round the waist and
hanging in folds, is worn by Pathans, Baluchis, Sindis, Multanis, &c.
[Illustration: PLATE I.
FIG. 1.--Punjabi Mahommedan wearing _lungi_ bound round a red or gold
_kullah_.
FIG. 2.--Mahommedan Saint, _pir_, wearing the _kantop_, ear-cap.
FIG. 3.--Student of the Aligarh College wearing the _tarbush_.
FIG. 4.--Punjabi Mahommedan wearing _pagri_, with _shimla_, _achkan
izar_ or _paejamas_.
FIG. 5.--Bombay or Gujarati Bora wearing white and gold turban with
red top.
FIG. 6.--Mahommedan Jat cultivators. Wife:--with _izar_, _kurta_, and
_orhni_ or _chadar_; husband:--with _majba_, _chadar_, and _joridar
pagri_.
FIG. 7.--The Parsi _khoka_, a tall hat of glazed chintz.
FIG. 8.--Parsi woman wearing Parsi _sari_ and _mathabana_ or white
hair cover.
FIG. 9.--Parsi schoolgirl.
FIG. 10.--Parsi pith hat with felt brim.
_From Pen and Ink Drawings by J. Lockwook Kipling, C.I.E._]
[Illustration: PLATE II.
FIG. 1.--Deccan Brahman wearing _pagri_, _dhoti_ or _pitamber_, _anga_
and _dopatta_.
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