Ladakhi men and women have a certain way of dressing. It’s more rooted to their culture, custom and traditions. Keeping in mind the harsh cold weather conditions, you’ll find their clothes made in woollens only.
Ladakhi women wear
The national dress of Ladakh is the ‘Goucha’. The women’s Goucha is much more pretty and elegant as compared to the men’s wear. It is basically a full-length skirt with many small pleats with a cummerbund. Older women tie a goatskin around their shoulders. This keeps them warm.
When there’s a celebration, the same Goucha is made in a more stylish way. By adding silver piping at the border and the collar area. Also, the Goucha is then made in black velvet. The headgear is considered to be an important element of a traditional Ladakhi dress. Called the hat or ‘Perak’, it has string of coral beads, silver chains attached to it.
In Ladakh the headgear is a symbol of fortune. It is proudly passed on from one generation to another. With each generation, more beads, corals or silver strings are attached to it.
The women also wear a colourful shawl on their backs called the ‘Bok’. In this they can carry their kids or other items.
Ladakhi men wear
Men’s Goucha is a thick woollen robe fastened at the neck and tied at the waist with a colourful sash known as a ‘Skerag’. It’s like a double-breasted calf-length coat.
Even the men wear headgears but the women’s ‘Perak’ is more decorative and elaborate.
The Traditional Accessories
The women wear their hair in two long pigtails; even some Ladakhi men wear the same hairstyle. The traditional headgear, Perak, has three, five, seven or nine lines of turquoise, according to one’s rank. Many turquoise coloured precious stones, beads, corals and silver strings are attached for decoration to the headgear.
The footwear is known as ‘Papu’, and it is made of woven Yak hair or wool, with a sole of Yak leather.
The Ladakhi women love to adorn themselves with jewellery – baroque pearls, turquoises, coral and amber – to bedeck their neck and ears.
There is another dress worn by women known as the ‘Chuba’. This is an elegant Tibetan gown.
If you get a chance, do dress up in the traditional Ladakhi costume!
0
