Chooridaar

Churidars, or more properly churidar pyjamas, are tightly fitting trousers worn by both men and women in South Asia. Churidars are a variant of the common salwar pants. Salwars are cut wide at the top and narrow at the ankle. Churidars narrow more quickly, so that contours of the leg are revealed. They are usually cut on the bias, making them naturally stretchy. Stretch is important when pants are closefitting. They are also longer than the leg and sometimes finish with a tightly fitting buttoned cuff at the ankle. The excess length falls into folds and appears like a set of bangles resting on the ankle (hence 'churidar'; 'churi': bangle, 'dar': like). When the wearer is sitting, the extra material is the "ease" that makes it possible to bend the legs and sit comfortably. The word churidar is from Urdu and made its way into English only in the 20th century. Earlier, tight fitting churidar-like pants worn in India were referred to by the British as Moghul breeches, long-drawers, or mosquito drawers.

The churidar is usually worn with a kameez (tunic) by women or a kurta (a loose overshirt) by men, or they can form part of a bodice and skirt ensemble.

Portrait of Kashmiri children wearing churidar pyjamas circa 1890

19th century painting of Indian women wearing transparent skirts over churidar pants

Cotton churidar worn with silk side-opening kurta and mojari shoes

A woman visiting Bangladesh wearing a churidar

Jawaharlal Nehru, prime minister of India, dressed in churidar being received by American president Harry S. Truman upon arrival at the National Airport, Washington DC, October 1949

Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan, center, and Liaquat Ali Khan, its first prime minister, extreme left, both in churidars, at the All-India Muslim League Working Committee meeting in Lahore, March 1940

Portrait of the son of H.H. Chunnasee Rajoonath Pant (wearing churidars). 1860. Oriental and India Office Collection, British Library.

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