Uttariya

An uttariya (uttarīya) is a loose piece of upper body clothing. It is a single piece of cloth falls from the back of the neck to curl around both arms and could also drape the top half of the body.[1][2][3][4] An Uttariya is similar to a veil, a long scarf and shawl.[5]

Not to be confused with Uttarayana.
Relief depicting men in antriya and uttariya, 1st century CE.

The word uttarīya is from Sanskrit. Uttariya is the combination of Uttar (उत्तर) and suffix īya (ईय).[6] Uttariya in vedas comprehends various loose cloths worn for upper body such as upavasana, parayanahana and adhivasa, varhatika and varnaka, uttarsangha samvyana.[5]

History

Uttariya was a garment for upper body in vedic periods.[5] (1500 and 500 BCE.) The garments worn in the Vedic period mainly included a single cloth wrapped around the whole body and draped over the shoulder. People used to wear the lower garment called paridhana which was pleated in front and used to tie with a belt called mekhala and an upper garment called Uttariya (covered like a shawl) which they used to remove during summers. "Orthodox males and females usually wore the uttariya by throwing it over the left shoulder only, in the style called upavita".[7] There was another garment called pravara that they used to wear in cold. This was the general garb of both the sexes but the difference existed only in size of cloth and manner of wearing. Sometimes the poor people used to wear the lower garment as a loincloth only while the wealthy would wear it extending to the feet as a sign of prestige.

Mahabharata (compiled between 4th BC 4th AD) refers the use of Uttariya as a garment. Even the Indo-Aryan men and women used it.[8][9][10] The colors of Uttariya were associated with distinct varna in society then. Pandavas were observed wearing white.[8]

Women were using two uttariya sometimes. One for covering the head another across the arms. Women used satanmasuska or Sattanapatta (also known as kurpsika or kanchuki) to cover their breasts. As per mention in Buddhist Pali literature during the 6th century BC, Sari śāṭikā (Sanskrit: शाटिका) is an evolved form of combining Sattanapatta, Uttariya and Antariya.[1][2][3][11][12][13]

It was usually made of fine cotton or silk, but can be suggested also with fine hide.

Carvings that feature this garment date back a long way but there are few examples of this garment surviving so fashion historians study the reliefs.[14]

Modern day use

Rituals in Hindu temples

Like snana yatra of Jagannath, in many other hindu temples the deities are offered distinguished Bheshas as a part of worship. Priests grace the Gods with adequate clothing and jewelry.[15] They use cloths Tadapa and Uttariya; the lower body's cloth is Tadapa,[16] and Uttariya for the upper body.[17]

Buddhist clothing

Lay brothers of the Buddhist community would typically be dressed with the antriya, accompanied by an uttariya and a larger chadder, all colored in saffron.

Daily use

Uttariya is still worn throughout Indian subcontinent and is traditionally worn over kurta, achkan or sherwani since classical age. It was usually used in combination with the antriya, an ancient version of the dhoti, held with a sash or kamarbandh. The uttariya could also be used as a dupatta, turban, by both men and women.

See also

References
  1. "Women's Sarees guide and information resource about Women's Sarees : Clothing, Style and Fashion Style Directory by Apparel Search". www.apparelsearch.com. Retrieved 2020-12-09.
  2. "The history of sari: The nine yard wonder - Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 2020-12-09.
  3. G, Dr Ananth Prabhu (2020-05-30). Glorious Bharat - Part 1. Dr. Ananth Prabhu G. p. 39.
  4. Shastri, Ajay Mitra; Varāhamihira (1996). Ancient Indian Heritage, Varahamihira's India: Historical geography, religion, and society. Aryan Books International. p. 224. ISBN 978-81-7305-081-7.
  5. Ayyar, Sulochana (1987). Costumes and Ornaments as Depicted in the Sculptures of Gwalior Museum. Mittal Publications. p. 34. ISBN 978-81-7099-002-4.
  6. Mehta, Tarla (1995). Sanskrit Play Production in Ancient India. Motilal Banarsidass Publ. ISBN 978-81-208-1057-0.
  7. Ayyar, Sulochana (1987). Costumes and Ornaments as Depicted in the Sculptures of Gwalior Museum. Mittal Publications. pp. 95–96. ISBN 9788170990024.
  8. Vaidya, Chintaman Vinayak (2001). Epic India, Or, India as Described in the Mahabharata and the Ramayana. Asian Educational Services. ISBN 978-81-206-1564-9.
  9. Varadpande, Manohar Laxman (1987). History of Indian Theatre: Classical theatre. Abhinav Publications. p. 47. ISBN 978-81-7017-430-1.
  10. Jain, Simmi (2003). Encyclopaedia of Indian Women Through the Ages: Ancient India. Gyan Publishing House. p. 99. ISBN 978-81-7835-172-8.
  11. Prasad Mohapatra, Ramesh (1992). Fashion Styles of Ancient India: A Study of Kalinga from Earliest Times to Sixteenth Century Ad. B.R. Publishing Corporation. p. 35. ISBN 9788170187233.
  12. Prachya Pratibha, 1978 "Prachya Pratibha, Volume 6", p. 121
  13. Agam Kala Prakashan, 1991 "Costume, coiffure, and ornaments in the temple sculpture of northern Andhra", p. 118
  14. Kumar, Raj (2006). Paintings and Lifestyles of Jammu Region: From 17th to 19th Century A.D. Gyan Publishing House. ISBN 978-81-7835-577-1.
  15. "Juggernaut of Puri". Retrieved 20 September 2006.
  16. Ghurye, G. S. (1947). "Some Notes on Hindu Costume". Bulletin of the Deccan College Research Institute. 8: 97–172. ISSN 0045-9801. JSTOR 42929589.
  17. B Samall - JASO, Journal of the Anthropological Society of Oxford, 1998 - anthro.ox.ac.uk. "Applique Craft in Orissa, India: Continuity, Change, and Commercialization" (PDF).
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