Textiles, Costumes and Ornaments of the Western Himalaya

Traditional costumes and ornaments of the people in the interiors and in the rural areas of the Western Himalaya present a grand spectacle of enchanting designs, forms, and colour preferences. The aesthetic and utilitarian elements are deeply ingrained in the artifacts of this region. So vast is the diversity and the form and use of ornaments and dresses of the people of this region that one can find in them not only the influence of the areas around, but also of the distant countries. One finds reflected in the ornaments and dresses of the composite communities in the Western Himalayan region, the influences from the neighbouring plains in the mainland. In the interiors, the indigenous traditions of the people have interfused with the other cultural strains on the international dimension, from Tibet, Central Asia and the Middle Eastern world. This region has, thus, been a vast cauldron for the interfusion of innumerable racio-cultural influences. And one finds them most vividly reflected in the costumes and ornaments of the people of this region. In the present study, an attempt has been made to present a kaleidoscopic view of the whole ethno-cultural scenario of the Western Himalayan region through the traditional textiles, costumes and ornaments of the people.