The kurti is an upper garment worn with a kanchli. However, it is not seen in early paintings or 
sculptures and seems to be a recent trend, perhaps not more than 200 years old. In the earliest paintings, for example, of the Banni-Thanni of Kishangarah, only the kanchli is seen. It was possibly under the expanding power and influence of Mughal rulers that it came to be considered immodest to reveal so much of the upper body and women started wearing a kurti. However , in all walks of life the angia or kanchli is still preferred for daily use. In Rajasthan, only married women are required by tradition to wear a kurti. Amongst the Rajput, a widowed woman rarely wears the kurti.
Women's tops from India
The kurti is usually a sleeveless garment with a deep, horseshoe shaped neckline. Sinch the neck is 
large, most of the kanchli worn underneath is exposed. Bias binding is sewn around the armhole, neckline, side plackets and hem, enclosing the raw edges and adding colour. Variations in the construction of the kurti exist among different communities. For instance, the kurti worn by Bishnoi women has side slits and a deep neckline that reveals almost all of the kanchi. The jat kurti is front open, much like a jacket, where the left side has an extension for an overlap over the right. Piping is added at the edges with a string holding the overlap at the side scam and the front is fastered with buttons and loops. On the other hand, the Rajput kurti has no centre-front opening and is slipped over the head.
very-very nice images
Posted by: sonia | July 07, 2008 at 03:18 AM