The traditional clothing and accessories worn in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa varies according to the area of the region. The following outfits are generally worn in the area, starting to north to south:
Chitral: Shushut, Chehare , beaded necklaces worn by Kalasha women
Kho caps worn by Kho women and Chitrali Pakol worn by Kho men
Kohistan: Kohistani dresses called Jumlos and Ghokhru bangles worn by women as well as Kohistani hats worn by children
Hazara: Makhmal Shalwar Kameez, Makhmal belt and Makhmal necklace worn by Hazarewal Hindko speaking women
Waziristan: Waziristan Pakol worn by Pashtun men and Ganr Khat dress worn by Pashtun women in southern Waziristan
The traditional clothing for the lower region is the khat partug which is a shalwar kameez combination and is worn by men and women. The khat (also called khattaki or in Marwat Pashtu, kamis) [1] is the shirt which fits closely to the body to the waist and then flares out, either to the knees, or in the case of women, to the ankles. The khat worn by women can be elaborately embroidered at the neck with needle work.
The partug (also called pardig) is a loose shalwar which has many folds and is loosely brought together at the ankles. Men also wear a turban and a scarf (called patkai), [1] while women wear a head scarf.
The female khat is also known as the firaq which forms the firaq partug outfit. The female khat is of two types: [2] the jalana khat and the giradana khat. The jalana khat is worn by unmarried women which is loose and traditionally of print design. The giradana khat is worn by married women and is of dark colours, especially red. The female khat has many pleats. The styles are of the type also worn in Afghanistan.
Perahan tunban or Partoog Kameez is male dress worn in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and eastern Afghanistan. [3] The perahan tunban/Kameez Partoog version of the shalwar kameez is made up of the perahan/Kameez (the top) which is wide and loose with the sleeves also worn loose and pendent from the arms. [4] The perahan/kameez worn in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa generally falls to the knees. [5] [6] [7] The traditional perahan buttons on either shoulder, is collarless [8] [9] and is meant to be loose. [10] Further, the traditional perahan/kameez is wide but fits closer to the body down to the waist and then is loose and full down to the knees [11] (thereby flaring out). However, modern versions open to the front.
The tunban/partoog (lower garment) is worn loose and hanging. Some versions of the tunban/partoog have the ample folds gathered into plaits at the lower part of the legs, below the knees to the ankles and the loose part above overhangs in loops. [4] The tunban/partoog therefore uses a lot of material so that it gathers around the waist and folds around the legs. Modern versions are less voluminous.
Although the Sindhi cap originates from Sindh, the cap is popular in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The Peshawari cap, called kullah, is a skull cap which is quilted in cotton or silk and embroidered in local designs. [2]
The traditional dress of Peshawar and other parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan is the khalqa (gown) which opens at the front [12] or shirt which does not open at the front, [13] and the Peshawari shalwar which is very loose down to the ankles. [14]
The choga is an outer robe with sleeves. It is generally made of soft woollen material. [15] The choga is traditionally worn in Afghanistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. [16]
The shaturi choga is made of camel's hair. The baruki choga is made with wool of rufus-woolled sheep and the kurki choga is made with highland goat's wool. Other expensive chogas are made with coarse materials. [4]
The Kabuli pashum is the choga made with the fleece of dumba, fat-tailed sheep of Peshawar and Kabul. The fleece produces fine quality material. [17]
The sharai is a woollen sheet which has a slit in it for the head. The sheet is long and is tied around the waist with a belt. [2] The sharai can also be short and worn with a kammarband (waist band) made of coarse material or leather.
The turban is known as the dastar [2] which can be voluminous and long.
The dress in Kalash, Chitral District is the long robe. The robe can either be of wool or cotton, [18] and is referred to as the chugha or shoqa. This type of robe is also traditionally worn in the neighbouring Hunza Valley of Gilgit-Baltistan where the garment is referred to as the choga. [19]
In Chitral, the men traditionally wear mid-calf-length straight-legged loose woollen trousers which are supplemented by woollen leggings in winter. This links the region to the Nuristani region in adjoining Afghanistan to its west where men traditionally wore white woollen trousers reaching to just below the knees, supplemented by black tight leggings, covered by a long tunic tied at the waist. [20] Men of Chitral also wear loose shirts and woollen waistcoats or coats and the Chitrali cap with a sprig of juniper tucked into its brim. [21] [22]
The women wear very loose shalwars. Women's dresses are made with eight to ten yards of black cotton cloth, which is heavily embroidered around the neck, sleeves and bottom with skeins of yarn. A thick woollen or yarn belt is tied three or four times around the waist. Women wear beads around the neck. The headdress consists of two parts, the smaller susutr (woven woollen circle) which rest at the back of the head and has a long run down the back. The larger item is the kapas which rests above the susutr. Where the susutr is worn at all times, the kapas, which is highly decorated is worn on special occasions, or when visiting other valleys. [23]
The Chitrali cap is made of fulled woollen cloth, and consists of a flat crown with a rolled brim. The cap is popular in Afghanistan where it forms part of Nuristani dress. [24]
In Bannu [25] and the Hazara area which includes, Mansehra, Abbottabad and Haripur District, the older traditional lower garment is the suthan as worn in the Punjab region. The suthan can either be loose to the knees and tight to the ankles, or loose to the lower legs and tight at the ankles. [26] In Bannu, the suthan is traditionally worn with a khilka, a long tunic which does not have side slits. The choga is also worn, which can be knee length or lower and is the traditional dress in Afghanistan, [4] Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and is also worn in the Punjab region. [27]
In the plains of the Hazara region, the dress is of the type worn in the Punjab region: [2] the long Punjabi kurta which has side slits is traditionally worn. The kurta is called khilka or perni. [28] However, a knee length version is also worn in the lower area. The khilka/perni is worn with a loose Punjabi suthan which is tight at the ankles.
The pakol or pakul is a soft, flat, rolled-up, round-topped men's cap, usually worn in Afghanistan and northern Pakistan. It is typically made of wool and found in a variety of earthy colours, such as brown, black, grey, ivory, or dyed red using walnut.
Timergara is a city and the district headquarters of the Lower Dir District and temporary headquarter of newly established Central Dir District in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Timergara city is located on the east bank of the Panjkora River. It lies at an altitude of 823 metres (2,700 ft). The town is the site of excavated graves of Indo-Aryans, dating from 1500 to 600 BC. On the west side of the Panjkora River is the excavated site of Balambat. The site has been occupied continuously since the time of the Indo-Aryans in 1500 BC. Discoveries included houses dating from 500 BC and fire altars, showing that the people followed early form Aryan religion which revolved around fire worship. The area's early political history is defined by the control of the Bactrians, Scythians and Hepthalites, and artifacts and ruins from these periods are found throughout the region. At the 1998 Census, the town had a population of 43,774. Most of the main city lies on the bank of the river Panjkora, which separates Balambat from the main city.
A Patiala salwar is a type of female trousers which has its roots in Patiala City in the Northern region of Punjab state in India. The King of Patiala in earlier times wore a Patiala salwar as his royal suit. The Patiala Salwar has a close resemblance to the Pathani suit, which has loose layers similar to those of a salwar, and a long, knee-length top known as a kameez. The garment is no longer customarily worn by men, but has classically transformed itself with new cuts and styling into a women's garment.
Punjabi culture grew out of the settlements along the five rivers which served as an important route to the Near East as early as the ancient Indus Valley civilization, dating back to 3000 BCE. Agriculture has been the major economic feature of the Punjab and has therefore formed the foundation of Punjabi culture, with one's social status being determined by landownership. The Punjab emerged as an important agricultural region, especially following the Green Revolution during the mid-1960's to the mid-1970's, has been described as the "breadbasket of both India and Pakistan". Besides being known for agriculture and trade, the Punjab is also a region that over the centuries has experienced many foreign invasions and consequently has a long-standing history of warfare, as the Punjab is situated on the principal route of invasions through the northwestern frontier of the Indian subcontinent, which promoted to adopt a lifestyle that entailed engaging in warfare to protect the land. Warrior culture typically elevates the value of the community's honour (izzat), which is highly esteemed by Punjabis.
Clothing in Afghanistan consists of the traditional style of clothing worn in Afghanistan. The various cultural exchanges in the nation's history have influenced the styles and flavors of contemporary Afghan designs. The national dress is the fusion of different ethnic groups in Afghanistan. The styles can be subdivided into the various ethnicities with unique elements for each. Traditional dresses for both men and women tend to cover the whole body, with trousers gathered at the waist, a loose shirt or dress, and some form of head covering.
Churidars, also churidar pyjamas, are tightly fitting trousers worn by both men and women in the Indian subcontinent. Churidars are a variant of the common shalwar pants. Shalwars are cut wide at the top and narrow at the ankle. Churidars narrow more quickly so that contours of the legs are revealed. They are usually cut on the bias, making them naturally stretchy, which 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. 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 Hindi 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.
Pakistani clothing refers to the ethnic clothing that is typically worn by people in the country of Pakistan and by Pakistanis. Pakistani clothes express the culture of Pakistan, the demographics of Pakistan, and cultures from Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan, and Kashmir regions of the country. The clothing in each region and culture of Pakistan reflect weather conditions, way of living, the textiles and embroidery used and its distinctive style which gives it a unique identity among all cultures.
Shalwar kameez is a traditional combination dress worn by men and women in South Asia, and Central Asia.
Khetpartugkhat partoog, is a type of Pashtun clothing worn in Afghanistan.
Salwar or Shalwar is cloth worn from the waist to the ankles, covering both legs separately. It is the lower-garment of the Shalwar kameez suit which is widely-worn in South Asia. It is known for its lively hues, rich fabrics, and embroidery. It is also the national dress of Pakistan, and since the later 1960s with the salwar being used in government offices in Pakistan. The outfit has been a part of Punjabi tradition for centuries. Salwar can be distinguished from the Punjabi suthan which is shorter than the salwar.
In the ancient Punjab region, people wore cotton clothing. Both men and women wore knee-length tops. A scarf was worn over the tops which would be draped over the left shoulder and under the right. A large sheet would be further draped over one shoulder which would hang loose towards the knees. Both male and female wore a dhoti around the waist. Modern Punjabi dress has retained this outfit but over its long history has added other forms of dress.
Pheran or Phiran is the traditional outfit for both males and females in Kashmir.
Sindhi clothing are a part of the Sindhi culture. Sindhi women and men wear the Shalwar Qameez or the Kurta with Pyjama. Women also wear Sari or ghagra. However, before the adoption of the Shalwar kameez, kurta, the Sari as well as other articles of clothing, Sindhis had their own traditional costumes.
The people of Jammu have the following traditional clothing:
Perahan tunban, also known as Peran o Tunban, is a garment worn by men in Afghanistan and in some parts of Pakistan.
Firaq partug is the traditional clothing of Pashtuns who reside in Pakistan and Afghanistan.The origins of this clothing can be traced back to the Scythians, and it has evolved with regional variations, reflecting the diverse cultural heritage of the Pashtun people. The styles vary according to region and tribe, Kuchis, Wazirs, Khattaks, Peshawaris, and Kakars all have their own style of Firaq Partug. The outfits consists of three garments: chador, firaq and partug. The word Firaq partug comes from pashto. Firaq means a flared shirt and partug means pants.
There are two types of Saraiki shalwar suits which originate in the southern area of Punjab, Pakistan. These are the Bahawalpuri shalwar suit and the Multani shalwar suit. The two main suits from that area.
Chitral Museum is a museum located in Chitral District, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. It was established on 8 July 2010.
Gilgit-Baltistan is inherited by people from different sects and they have a diversity of their culture, customs and traditions. The cultural heritage of Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan manifests itself in local traditions, music and local dress.
Pathani Suit is an ethnic outfit for men in the South Asian culture. Basically it is a Muslim dress similar to Salwar kameez. It comprises three garments Kurta, Salwaar, and a vest, which is optional. Pashtun suit is popular among men as formal wear and worn on special occasions such as marriages and festivals. It is also called Khan suit and Pashtun suit.