Talk:Churidar

Churidar and Salwar
The lead says that the churidar is a narrow salwar (or words to that effect). My own sense is that the two garments have different provenance. First, both were initially (up until sometime in the late 18th century) worn only by men; until then, the salwar was worn in mostly what is now northwest India, Pakistan and Afghanistan, however, the churidar was worn in only north and central India. Second, the salwar was worn by mostly Muslim and Sikh men; whereas the churidar was worn by Rajput men as well as Muslims and Sikhs. (For example, the Kathak dance, in which women dancers now wear churidars, was performed exclusively by men up until the late 19th century.) I think it was only after women started wearing both garments, especially in the latter half of the 20th century, that the garments began to be seen as variations on a theme. My conjecture is that the word "churidar salwar" is of recent vintage; the older version is "churidar payjama."

Unfortunately, right now, I don't have enough time to look into the question thoroughly; but, perhaps, someone else can. I'm posting this on the salwar talk page as well. Fowler&amp;fowler «Talk»  21:08, 1 January 2007 (UTC)


 * Shalvar have an ancient history, beginning in Persia. They were adopted by Arabs, prior to becoming Muslims in the early 7th c. CE, who altered the name to sirwal (singular), sarawil (plural). Many, if not most, women in the early Arabic speaking Muslim world also wore sarawil and nearly all, if not all, women in the medieval Persian Empire and Ottoman Empire wore shalvar.


 * During this time the kamiz was an undergarment, a simple pull over tunic generally of plain white linen or cotton, worn by both men and women in the Arabic speaking world. I don't know when the word became applied to outerwear. Outer tunics of fine and/or embroidered material, not called kamiz, were worn; in the Arabic speaking world, the word thob (various transliterations) is often used.


 * I personally would like separate pages for shalvar and for kamiz to cover their very long earlier histories, the many centuries before they were combined into the outfit now common in South Asia.
 * Ellenois (talk) 17:00, 18 November 2010 (UTC)

Ambiguous Gupta Era image
An editor has been inserting an ambiguous image of a sculpture dating to the 5th century CE, and claiming that it shows a woman wearing a churidar. The sculpture merely shows a woman wearing a leg bracelet. The editor has moreover replaced a longstanding image in the article with this dubious one. He has produced a "source" published by a non-standard publisher that does not constitute WP:RS. I have removed the image, but I suspect the editor is looking to edit-war. Fowler&amp;fowler «Talk»  01:57, 7 February 2017 (UTC)

I disagree, the fabric pattern continues through out her leg. We can clearly distinguish it from anklets on her feet. 117.192.213.223 (talk) 10:59, 7 February 2017 (UTC)
 * Even if I grant you that, where are the "churis, or excess folds" (Recall text from the article: "The excess length falls into folds and appears like a set of bangles resting on the ankle (hence 'churidar'; 'churi': bangle, 'dar': like).)  This page, after all, is about a particular type of leg garment, not any leg garment. Pictures in apparel-related articles are meant to unambiguously illustrate the apparel, which I'm afraid this low-res picture of a sculpture does not do.  Fowler&amp;fowler  «Talk»  11:32, 7 February 2017 (UTC)
 * PS You could try your luck at tights, but churidar this is not.  Fowler&amp;fowler  «Talk»  11:38, 7 February 2017 (UTC)