Churidars, also churidar pyjamas, are tightly fitting trousers worn by both men and women in
Indian Subcontinent
The Indian subcontinent is a list of the physiographic regions of the world, physiographical region in United Nations geoscheme for Asia#Southern Asia, Southern Asia. It is situated on the Indian Plate, projecting southwards into the Indian O ...
.
Churidars are a variant of the common
shalwar
Salwar or Shalwar is cloth worn from the waist to the ankles, covering both legs separately. It is the lower-garment of the Shalwar kameez suit which is widely-worn in South Asia. It is known for its lively hues, rich fabrics, and embroidery. It ...
pants. Shalwars are cut wide at the top and narrow at the ankle. Churidars narrow more quickly so that contours of the legs are revealed. They are usually cut on the
bias
Bias is a disproportionate weight ''in favor of'' or ''against'' an idea or thing, usually in a way that is closed-minded, prejudicial, or unfair. Biases can be innate or learned. People may develop biases for or against an individual, a group, ...
, making them naturally stretchy. Stretch is important when pants are closefitting. They are also longer than the leg and sometimes finish with a tightly fitting buttoned cuff at the ankle. The excess length falls into folds and appears like a set of bangles resting on the ankle (hence 'churidar'; 'churi': bangle, 'dar': like). When the wearer is sitting, the extra material is the "ease" that makes it possible to bend the legs and sit comfortably. The word ''churidar'' is from Urdu and Hindi which made its way into English only in the 20th century.
[Hawkins, R. E. 1984. ''Common Indian words in English''. Oxford University Press, New Delhi.] Earlier, tight-fitting churidar-like pants worn in India were referred to by the British as ''Moghul breeches'', ''long-drawers'', or ''mosquito drawers.''
[Yule, Henry and A. C. Burnell. 1903. ''Hobson-Jobson: A Glossary of Colloquial Anglo-Indian Words and Phrases, and of Kindred Terms, Etymological, Historical, Geographical and Discursive. London: John Murray. 1021 pages.]
Churidars are usually worn with a ''
kameez
Thawb ( ar, ثَوْب "garment"), also spelled thobe or tobe and known by various other names in different regions, is an ankle-length robe, usually with long sleeves. It is commonly worn in the Arabian Peninsula, the Middle East, North Afr ...
'' (tunic) by women or a ''
kurta
A ''kurta'' is a loose collarless shirt or tunic worn in many regions of South Asia, (subscription required) Quote: "A loose shirt or tunic worn by men and women." Quote: "Kurta: a loose shirt without a collar, worn by women and men from South ...
'' (a loose overshirt) by men, or they can form part of a bodice and skirt ensemble.
Gallery
Image:Kashmiri children in churidar 1890.jpg, Portrait of Kashmiri children wearing churidar pyjamas circa 1890
Image:churidar.jpg, 19th century painting of Indian women wearing transparent skirts over churidar pants
Image:Silk kurta churidar mojari2.jpg, Cotton churidar worn with silk side-opening kurta and ''mojari'' shoes
Image:Vita in Bangladesh.jpg, A woman visiting Bangladesh wearing a churidar
File:Photograph of President Truman shaking hands with Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru of India upon Nehru's arrival at... - NARA - 200152.jpg, Jawaharlal Nehru
Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru (; ; ; 14 November 1889 – 27 May 1964) was an Indian anti-colonial nationalist, secular humanist, social democrat—
*
*
*
* and author who was a central figure in India during the middle of the 20t ...
, prime minister of India, dressed in churidar being received by American president Harry S. Truman
Harry S. Truman (May 8, 1884December 26, 1972) was the 33rd president of the United States, serving from 1945 to 1953. A leader of the Democratic Party, he previously served as the 34th vice president from January to April 1945 under Franklin ...
upon arrival at the National Airport, Washington DC, October 1949
File:All India Muslim League Working Committee Lahore 1940.jpg, Muhammad Ali Jinnah
Muhammad Ali Jinnah (, ; born Mahomedali Jinnahbhai; 25 December 1876 – 11 September 1948) was a barrister, politician, and the founder of Pakistan. Jinnah served as the leader of the All-India Muslim League from 1913 until the ...
, the founder of Pakistan
Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...
, center, and Liaquat Ali Khan
Liaquat Ali Khan ( ur, ; 1 October 1895 – 16 October 1951), also referred to in Pakistan as ''Quaid-e-Millat'' () or ''Shaheed-e-Millat'' ( ur, lit=Martyr of the Nation, label=none, ), was a Pakistani statesman, lawyer, political theoris ...
, its first prime minister, extreme left, both in churidars, at the All-India Muslim League
The All-India Muslim League (AIML) was a political party established in Dhaka in 1906 when a group of prominent Muslim politicians met the Viceroy of British India, Lord Minto, with the goal of securing Muslim interests on the Indian subcontin ...
Working Committee meeting in Lahore
Lahore ( ; pnb, ; ur, ) is the second most populous city in Pakistan after Karachi and 26th most populous city in the world, with a population of over 13 million. It is the capital of the province of Punjab where it is the largest city. ...
, March 1940
Image:Choonasee pant churidar.jpg, Portrait of the son of H.H. Chunnasee Rajoonath Pant (wearing churidars). 1860. Oriental and India Office Collection, British Library.
Image:Maharaja nabha churidar.jpg, Portrait of Sir Hira Singh, Raja of Nabha
Nabha is a city and municipal council in the Patiala district in the south-west of the Indian state of Punjab. It was the capital of the former Nabha State. Nabha is also a sub-division city which comes under Patiala district.
Geography
Nabha ...
, Punjab
Punjab (; Punjabi: پنجاب ; ਪੰਜਾਬ ; ; also romanised as ''Panjāb'' or ''Panj-Āb'') is a geopolitical, cultural, and historical region in South Asia, specifically in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent, comprising ...
, in churidars. c. 1890. Oriental and India Office Collection, British Library.
See also
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Shalwar kameez
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Jammu dress
The people of Jammu have the following traditional clothing:
Ghagra choli
It is traditional for women to wear ghagra choli and the scarf ensemble which was also popular in the Punjab. It is still traditional for women to wear the kurta with a l ...
*
Kandura
Thawb ( ar, ثَوْب "garment"), also spelled thobe or tobe and known by various other names in different regions, is an ankle-length robe, usually with long sleeves. It is commonly worn in the Arabian Peninsula, the Middle East, North Afri ...
References
{{Clothing in South Asia
Indian clothing
Bangladeshi clothing
Pakistani clothing
Hosiery
Trousers and shorts