History Of Kurtas: Tracing Their Evolution & Cultural Influence

South Asians have been dressing traditionally in kurtas for centuries. People across Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka have been wearing the kurta for years, and it has seen multiple iterations ever since. Even in modern-day India, where Western clothing has become quite prominent, women kurtas are worn on a daily basis. Originally donned solely by men, women, too, have started wearing kurtas.

The Origin Story 

Our mothers, sisters, aunts, and grandmothers often wear women kurtas on special occasions such as weddings, festivals, rituals, and ceremonies. When India was under colonial rule, people would burn Western clothing in protest against the British, as part of the Independence movement. At the time, Indians chose to wear kurtas as an act of rebellion. Let’s take a deeper look into the origin of the name of this versatile garment.

The Persian word ‘kurta’ refers to a shirt without a collar, and the word’s roots can be traced to Urdu and Sanskrit. The Persians were also responsible for putting an end to the practice of wrapping clothing around the body and introducing stitching and sewing. They produced ‘varbana’, tunics with side slits, much like the kurta itself. 

The empire of the nomadic people of Central Asia, the Kushan Empire, brought with them tunics that grew popular during the Gupta rule. Fast forward to the Mughal era, the kurta-pyjama combination became the royal attire and saw many variations. For instance, named after a famous courtesan, ‘anarkali kurta’ became prominent. The pyjama design also saw many changes, giving way to iterations such as the salwar, churidar, dhilja, and gharara. 

The Rajputs and Mughals wore a similar type of kurta with churidars; however, the kurtas for women kurtas were worn with kotis or coaties, which is essentially a sleeveless jacket. After this came a long, ankle-length kurta with pleats above the waist – the Bhopali kurta. Interestingly, Bhopal has a history of drawing elements from North Indian, Persian, and Turkish cultures. This is reflected in the traditional clothing of Bhopal, including women kurtas. In 19th-century, British-ruled Lucknow, the Sherwani originated as the attire of the nobles and those who worked in court. Conventionally, kurtas were crafted out of cotton and khadi, but later, silk and other rich fabrics began being used to give the humble garment an opulent touch.    

Present-Day Kurtas

Cut to contemporary times, regular women kurtas are still predominantly made in cotton; however, there’s a variety of other fabrics that are used. This includes cotton blends, linen and linen blends, silk, handloom polyester cotton, georgette, rayon, chiffon, and even denim blends. We have also seen an evolution in the silhouettes of kurtas for women – straight kurtas, A-line kurtas, anarkalis, angrakha-style, asymmetrical, collared, and jacket-, cape- and kaftan-style, and more.  

Aside from a variation in fabric, kurtas have also undergone a design evolution. Now, you can choose from a variety of designs, including sequins, embroidery, sheer, chikankari, handiwork, block and digital prints, and more. With the shift towards sustainable clothing and eco-friendly fabrics, kurtas are also available in khadi, linen, pure cotton and silk, bamboo cotton, and more. These types of women kurtas are best suited for hot and humid climates, as these materials keep you cool by absorbing sweat. They are also lightweight, and the silhouettes are usually loose-fitting and breezy, making these kurtas for women the perfect summer pick. 

Kurta Trends 2024

Now that you know everything there is about the history of kurtas, here are some of the latest trends in kurtas worth noting:

– Chikankari kurta

– Sheer kurta

– Sequinned kurta

– Floral printed kurta

– Straight-cut kurta

– Co-ord set kurta

– Short kurta

Styling Kurtas For Any Occasion 

When it comes to styling, a kurta is arguably the easiest piece to put together. For a casual look, you can style a long or short kurta with jeans or even cargo pants and sneakers. If you want to wear a kurta to the office, you can pair it with palazzo pants or leggings, block heels or flats, and throw on a solid-coloured dupatta. For occasions that demand a little more dressing up, go with a heavy kurta and churidar with high heels. You can also accessorise minimally or go all out, depending on the occasion.  

Final Thoughts 

The legacy of the kurta is an invigorating fashion journey that shows us all the different versions and changes it went through over the years. The journey of the kurta reflects the cultural and social fabric of each historical period, which gives it the revered status it has today. From office wear to special occasions, a kurta can do anything and everything as long as you style it well. Whether it’s an anarkali kurta from North India or a bandhani-print kurta from Rajasthan, you can count on one to make you look elegant and feel fabulous! 

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