If you watch bhangra performances anywhere and everywhere, chances are you will be mesmerized by the colors that are moving around stage. These colors move in such synchrony and coordination, its like you’re watching a master artist paint with multiple paints. On stage, this happens with the dancers and their attire. The dancers are dressed in traditional clothing called vardiyaan. This style has been passed down for generations, and while it has been modified and updated to “match the trends”, it still appeals to traditional values.

Men and women wear different pieces of clothing with some similarities, but the two styles play with each other especially when the two are together, next to each other on stage. The men’s main clothing consists of the following pieces; chadra, kurta, jugi, and pagh. A chadra is a long piece of cloth that is tied around the waist and covers the bottom half of male dancers. It is tied strategically so that the legs of the dancer are not too constricted to showcase the big energetic moves, while still properly covering the whole bottom. This cloth is worn all over India as a very comfortable, mobile style. Due to heavy modernization, the chadra will often be worn in agricultural regions or just intimate family moments at home. The kurta is a long shirt that will stretch to the knees. This a very popular, traditional piece of clothing that is worn at many special occasions. Again, this clothing stretches across India, but many regions will have their own signature styles. Over top of the kurta is a jugi which is a vest with no buttons. The pagh is the headpiece, also known as the turban. This reflects the heavy emphasis of Sikh ties to the dance in covering one’s head; however, the pagh worn normally are tied differently from the pagh for dancing. On the pagh you may notice another accessory known as the torla. This is folded like a fan and tied into the pagh as well.

The women’s main clothing pieces consist of the following; salwar, kurta/kameez, jugi, and dupatta. As you can see, there are several pieces that are similar such as the kurta and jugi. The fitting is slightly different for the kurta which is also referred to as a kameez for women. The jugi also fits differently, and they may have strings attached to them to be tied together. The differences comes from the bottom half covering and head covering as well. A salwar is trouser pants that are loose fitting and may give a baggy appearance. This adds to the effects of the moves as the dancer is able to move more freely, and it exaggerates the movements by “flailing” around. The dupatta, also called a chunni, is a scarf that is elegantly draped over a women’s head. To ensure that it stays in place, it is pinned to the kurta and jugi. The combination of the salwar kameez is also very popular to traditionally wear in different settings in India and Pakistan. Many women may wear just the salwar while lounging, and they may wear more elegant styles of both the salwar and kameez to formal events.

There are also many accessories that compliment the attire. Some elements include jewelry by the names of jhumke (earring) and kainthe/taveet (necklaces). These are very elegant and small additions that bring more attention to the dancers face and their expressions. Furthermore, there is also an accessory called rumaalan which are small handkerchiefs that are tied to the dancer’s fingers. This helps in showcasing hand motions, especially those that are quite complex, much more evidently. I discussed all of the different pieces that go into a bhangra dancers attire, but keep in mind that all of these work together and create the unison of the person and the whole team on stage as well. When I put everything on, I feel a greater sense of pride because I am able to represent something that is greater than just me. I am prideful in my culture, and this is just one way bhangra exudes its traditional emphasis.