Meghalaya is known to be one of the most beautiful states of North Eastern India and is one of the most culturally rich and varied regions of the country. Meghalaya is also home to a number of tribes such as Garo, Khasi, and Jaintia, and each of these tribes has distinct traditional clothing.
Here are the famous forms of traditional attire and dresses of Meghalaya:
Traditional Dresses of Meghalaya For Women
Garo Tribe
The dresses of Meghalaya worn by the Garo tribe vary depending on the basis of the place of residence of the people. Women who belong to faraway villages of Garo hills wear an eking, a small cloth worn around the waist. Garo women who stay in either densely populated or crowded places wear long dresses that are made from cotton. The women belonging to this tribe wear a blouse along with a handmade lungi called Dakmanda, which is wrapped around the waist.
Khasi Tribe
Women of the Khasi tribe wear a Jainsen along with a blouse. The jainsen covers their body right from the waist down to the ankles. These dresses of Meghalaya are complemented with a cotton shawl known as the tap-moh khlieh. The elder women of the tribe wear Jainkup, a garment is made of woollen cloth. The women also accessorize the dresses which with ornaments made up of pure gold or silver.
During the Khasi festival of Ka Shad Suk Mynsiem, female dancers wear a dress that is draped from the waist to the ankle. This is worn with a blouse having full sleeves having beautiful lacework around the neck. The dress comprises two rectangular pieces of cloth that are embroidered with gold threads. Accessories include a necklace made up of red coral and beads covered in foil, golden earrings, and a golden or silver crown consisting of silver threads in the back of it.
Jaintia Tribe
The women of the Jaintia tribe cover their heads with chequered cloth garment known as a Kyrshah during the post-harvest season. They drape their bodies with a velvet blouse and an ankle length sarong known as a Thoh Khyrwang. The men and women of the Jaintia tribe dress up in their finest and most splendid costumes during the festival seasons. The women accessorize their costumes with silver and gold ornaments. Kynjri Ksiar is a unique gold pendant that is adorned by the women belonging to both the Khasi and Jaintia tribes.
Traditional Dresses of Meghalaya For Men
Men of the Garo tribe wear a loincloth as part of their traditional dress. The men of the Khasi Tribe wear a long, unstitched cloth around their waist. During the festival of Ka Shad Suk Mynsie, male dancers wear a beautiful turban made of silk alongside a gold or silver semi-circular plate around the neck. During the dancing rituals of Ka Pom-Blang Nongkrem festivities, the men of the tribe carry a sword in one hand.
The people of Meghalaya are incredibly proud of their heritage and their rich variety of clothing is a beautiful example of this heritage. Which of these traditional dresses of Meghalaya do you think is most beautiful? Let us know in the comments below!