A sacred thread worn over the left shoulder and crosswise over the torso, which symbolises a Hindu rite of initiation into a stage of learning. This rite is limited to males of the Brahmin, Kshatriya and Vaishya varnas (social classes) of Hindu society and the thread itself is considered a marker of caste. Within Indian iconography, it is also appears in religious sculptures and paintings.
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A loose, long-sleeved outer robe made of silk or cotton, commonly worn in parts of Central and South Asia. Historically,…
Short, loose jacket for women, with broad lapels and cuffs, worn over the kira as part of traditional Bhutanese attire.…
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Ankle-length flared skirt for women, worn mainly in the northern and central parts of the Indian subcontinent — with similar…
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The sacred thread worn Brahmin men after initiation rites of upanayana, which marks the advent into adulthood.