Pants Item Number: 3132/2 b from the MOA: University of British Columbia

Description

Baggy shalvaar style pants, worn with a long tunic (part a), and veil or shawl (part c), as part of a wedding ensemble. Pants are made of wild tussar silk in a light orange-brown colour and have a wide waist band, with pull-string that ties at the front. Legs are pleated at top front, loose through the thigh and tapering toward the ankle, where hem is stitched five times. The garment is otherwise undecorated. Interior is lined with silk fabric in a course weave.

Cultural Context

weddings; ceremonial

Narrative

This three-piece raw silk wedding ensemble was commissioned in the 1980s by friends of the bride, Ms. C. Aiyar. Ms. Aiyar, Hindu, came from Tamil Nadu in South India, however the style of this garment is more of a northern style (e.g., salwar/chemise rather than sari), likely because she was marrying a groom from North India. The colour is also unusual, as most Hindu brides prefer to marry in bright red saris. The natural (un-dyed) colour of this material is said to be associated with renunciation and contemplation. It was chosen because the bride had lived with her parents in an ashram until she was 16 years old, when she married.

Specific Techniques

The raw silk fabric was hand-woven. India is the second largest producer of tussar silk, which is produced by tribal groups living in the sub-tropical forested regions.

Item History

What

Name
Pants
Identification Number
3132/2 b
Type of Item
pant
Material
silk fibre
Overall
height 100.6 cm, width 88.5 cm

Who

Culture
South India
Previous Owner
Gillian Darling Kovanic, C. Aiyar and Rudi Kovanic
Received from
Rudi Kovanic (Donor)

Where

Holding Institution
MOA: University of British Columbia
Made in
Tamil Nadu, India

When

Creation Date
during 1985
Ownership Date
before September 29, 2015
Acquisition Date
on September 29, 2015

Other

Item Classes
textiles
Condition
good
Accession Number
3132/0002 b