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Description

Open-backed blouse with iridescent purple and grey patterned bodice, machine-stitched with red thread, and a white and red patterned breast piece interwoven with silver thread with small spots of dark green. Short sleeves are trimmed with silver lacy ribbon and a thick band of coarser cross-hatched white and red fabric interwoven with silver thread. The back is tied with two sets of red ties at the neck and across the back. The blouse is lined with a brown, black, green, turqhoise and orange patterned cotton fabric.

Specific Techniques

Cut and machine-sewn by a tailor.

Iconographic Meaning

The type of clothing helps to communicate the caste of the wearer.

Cultural Context

daily use

Narrative

Blouse was collected with the help of Hindu Koli people. This collection was gathered with the enthusiastic participation of villagers in Dhamlej, reflecting Derek Johnson’s rapport with them. They allowed him to take photographs of them demonstrating how the clothing is put on and worn. These photographs are available in the Museum of Anthropology collection documentation file for accession 2615.

History Of Use

Blouses of this type were worn by women of the Hindu Koli caste. Members of that caste assisted in the production and gathering of this clothing. The cloth for the clothing was purchased in Kodinar town, 7 km. to the east of Dhamlej. Blouses of this type were also worn by women of other castes. Koli women also wore distinctive jewellery, including small bracelets called bangli in Gujarati made of plastic or gold, silver ankle chains called chhdi, solid silver anklets called sakada, and large gold nose rings called kadi. Such blouses were also worn by women of other castes.