Lehenga Choli or Ghagra Choli, An Indian Wedding Dress

Indian Wedding Dresses

Indian wedding dresses for the brides are generally red as this is the color considered to be associated with good luck and is believed to bring the couple much happiness in future life. Indian wedding dresses are often a combination of intricate patterns, threading, sequences and beadwork. The Indian wedding dresses are usually made of a fabric that reflects light well such as satin, silk, or chiffon. The wedding sari can been beautified with awesome embroidery and embellishment work like zari, organza, zardosy, sequins, cut work, mirror work, pearl work, kasab, kundan work etc.

Whether you are a habitual lover of sari or not but on that day the most loved ensemble in your wardrobe is supposed to be this piece of beautiful 9-yard cloth, your bridal sari! In-fact, more than just a gorgeous outfit, the Indian wedding sari holds a lot of emphasis in the Indian tradition. Other accessories available with Indian wedding dresses are necklaces, bracelets, rings, earrings or hair decorations on an Indian bride. It is all part of the bride on her wedding day.

Choli / Lehnga / Lehenga: A Beautiful Covering

They say necessity is the mother of invention. It was indeed necessity that birthed the Lehnga. Before 1000 AD, the Sari was the national dress of choice for Indian women. Then, India faced invasions from many different directions and it became necessary for the women to have more of a covering than what the Sari provided. The Lehenga, a large piece of cloth worn around the waist as a skirt, provided a more appropriate dress when worn with a head covering, called Odhani, and bodice cloth, called Choli. Initially, the Lehnga was narrow, tied around the waist and held in place with a metal girdle. As popularity increased, lehenga choli went through many transitions to make it more convenient for the wearer. In wedding bridal lehenga are preferred by younger generation.

The loose ends of the cloth were stitched. Its narrow width was increased to make walking easier. The metal girdle was replaced with a piece of cloth, called Nepha, that had tape running through it, called Nara. The Lehnga reached its peak of development under the Mughal kings, becoming a counterpart of the rich dress styles of the Muslim royal women. Today, the ensemble still consists of the traditional long skirt, the Choli and the Dupatta (the Hindu name for the Orhini). The fabrics used are silk, brocade, linen or chiffon. The popularity of the Lehngha has steadily increased. In northern India, it has replaced the Saree as a wedding dress, being made in shades of red, orange or pink. The real beauty lies in the embroidery, or Zari. This art form is mostly passed on from father to son with utmost secrecy. First, the fabric is mounted on a wooden frame. Then, a pattern is traced on to the fabric with neel (chalk) powder. Finally, the actual embroidery is done, using many different types and colors of threads. The Lehnega may even be decorated with stones, pearls, gold and silver cords. The result is one very beautiful part of history which still lives on.

Source : Style of India - A Blog About Indian Fashion

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