Women

Simplicity and elegance go hand-in-hand with what women of Jharkhand wear. The respect and integrity they show towards their community’s culture, and traditions largely contribute towards the nature of their clothing. 

Sarees, particularly silk sarees, are preferred by women. Usually very vibrant, and colourful, these sarees come in numerous styles. They have a rich and luxurious appearance and texture while representing the tribal lifestyle with prints and paintings. Hand embroidery is also a convenient form of decorating a saree. Tussar, Kuchai, Anjana, and Swarnareksha silks are very popular in the area to make sarees with. The Kuchai Silk is a local fabric that originated in Jharkhand, specifically in the Kharsawan-Kuchai and Seraikela areas. It is made using cocoons grown on the Arjun and Sal trees.

Typically worn by Jain and Buddhist women, sarees and others not belonging to any tribal communities are limited to them. This is because tribal women wear the traditional ‘parthan and panchi.’

‘Panchi’ refers to the bottom wear, which is a three-meter-long, ankle-length skirt wrapped around a woman’s waist. The bust is covered with a blouse called the ‘parthan’. A piece of cloth similar to the pallu is draped over the shoulder to give a saree-like look to the outfit. 

Men

The state's dynamic culture has led to a creative expression of style by men. While they are not as fashion-forward as women, they respect their ethnic nuances and tradition of Jharkhand. Only a single piece of cloth, referred to as ‘bhagwan’ is worn by the men of Jharkhand. This cloth is draped in a way that covers a man’s body almost entirely - similar to traditional dress of jharkhand. It is brightly coloured and made using a fine-textured cloth, giving it a unique appeal. Tribes like the Santhal Pargana, also known as the Santhals and Paharis, mainly wear this. 

Men from other tribes or religious communities prefer to wear a simple kurta and pyjama. This attire is traditional and still portrays their rich culture and heritage adequately. High-quality silk is used to make the kurtas, later designed with paintings and motifs representing the original tribal life. Chiffon is also used at times since colours appear more vibrantly on fabrics with a fine texture.

In tribal culture, Jharkhand jewellery has deeper representations than usually perceived initially. It represents the wearer’s wealth, living standards, and socioeconomic status, alongside radical and deep-rooted beliefs. 

Depending on the access and availability of resources, many of the ornaments were made using flowers, leaves, berries, hooks, grass, animal skin, and plumes. Materials like blended metal (brass, silver, iron, copper, zinc), dirt, shells, bones, and wood were also used. Items like hasuli, tarpat, pahuchi, kardhani (waist accessory), choor, mandli, thela, jhumka (earrings), sikri, matar rola, kadha (bangles), and rings were made using these materials. The artisans saw exceptional craftsmanship of Jharkhand that lived on to become an ancient tradition.

Nature, especially flowers inspire almost all tribal jewellery designs. A standard jewellery set consists of broad bracelets, ‘choor’, cone-shaped earrings, ‘tarpat’, with chains to go over the ears. 

On the other hand, certain items do not need to be worn as a set. ‘Mandli’ and ‘hasuli’ refer to choker necklaces with half-moons hanging on a string of black thread. 

The uniqueness of these assorted tribal ornaments has set a benchmark that attracts people worldwide. Jharkhand’s infamous pavilion has stalls for regional artisans to sell their handmade jewellery. This helps sustain their livelihoods and form a source of income while inviting tourism into the state. 

The majority of traditional fashion has now blended or merged entirely with what is considered contemporary. The men and women of Jharkhand have given into trends and modern influences. On occasion, they are spotted wearing their traditional jharkhand attire, but they often stick to more ‘in vogue’ clothing items. 

Jharkhand is a state located in eastern India, bordering Chhattisgarh to the west, known for its rich mineral resources and diverse tribal cultures, while also having a growing fashion clothing industry.