Dressing style of Men

A glance into the various male and female sculptures of this period show some sort of uniformity in their dressing style, irrespective of gender and status. However it can be admitted with certainty that the kind of dress an individual wears would be based on their economic and social status. Most of the sculptures of this period display diaphanous style in its clothing. It can be regarded as a necessity of aesthetics in sculptural art. However, the lower half of the body of both male and female figures was never depicted nude in this period. In spite of diaphanous style of clothing a waist cloth or waist band indicative of a dress is always shown prominently. In the following pages is described the dressing style of men, women and children in general and then categorizes the dressing style based on occupational classes, wherever clear differentiation can be observed.

In general it can be said that men in this period, used to wear only a lower garment (antariya) in the form of a dhoti and an upper garment (uttariya) was absent. However, a loose cloth in the form of a loop just below the waist-band (kati-bandha) or waist-cloth (kati-vastra or nivi) seen in the sculptures of this period could be identified as the uttariya, which forms the upper garment. It was a usual practice even now to remove the uttariya and tie it around the waist, while engaged in work or as a mark of respect while entering into the temple or sanctum sanctorum. The lower garment is fastened at the hip with a kati-bandha or kati-vastra by means of a knot or buckle in the middle. Especially the upper-class seems to be using a kati-bandha or kamara-bandha especially made for that purpose, embellished with ornamentation like floral or kirtimukha buckle at the centre and ribbon like tassels dangling at the sides. The lower garment is seen either reaching up to the mid-thigh region or down to the ankles. Based on this a certain type of class distinction can be noticed. It is observed that male figurines depicted as dvarapalaka, gana, celestial like Vidhyadhara, devotee, warrior, hunter and wood-cutter were shown with an lower garment of ardoruka type (i.e., reaching up to the knee or mid-thigh region), where as those sculptures representing gods like Vishnu, Brahma, sages and their disciples, kings were shown with purvoruka type (i.e. reaching up to the ankles). Even within the purvoruka type, two styles of wrapping the lower garment is seen. In one type, it is wrapped around the waist and allowed to fall up to the knees in the form of a skirt. In another type, the lower garment is worn by folding one end of the cloth into pleats and tucked at the waist in front and the other end is folded and tucked at the back by passing it through the legs. This method of draping the dhoti is termed as the kachchha style, which is even now the standard dress among the elder men in the villages. The folds of these are shown either, plain ribbon like or with chiffon edges. It seems that just like the present day dhotis, those of the Pallava period also had their borders decorated. Normally the lower garment seems to be plain without any decorations, except the borders. However, there was also an ornamental kind having floral designs, which was probably worn on special occasions. The presence of such floral designs may hint at the possibility of knowledge in the art of embroidery or dying the cloth with such designed moulds or directly painting those designs on it.

Generally, there is not much difference between the costume of the upper-class and that of the commoners. However, based on the identification of sculptures as belonging to various social classes, the dress of men can be broadly categorized into three classes:

-) Dress of upper-class.

-) Dress of sages, ascetics and priests.

-) Dress of warriors and dancers.

-) Dress of royal servants.

-) Dress of commoner.