Wearables in Chitral: Past and Present

Most probably evolved from a coarse and loosely wearing clothing prepared from wool, leather and other raw resources by the mountainous people of Chitral, here presently a common and a popular local is shalwar qameez. It has been prevailing in peri-urbanite with pants among male, and a range of outfits among the women.

The apparels for both home and outside engagement seems to have been decked out after the time people afforded it, and fabric became available in local market. As per one estimate it was the period between 1945 to 1950 a product (saan zap) for clothing became available in Chitral. Before it, there were thus the folktales of a piece of clothing being commonly available to families or a clan for outside engagements.

The coarsely woven wool (preferably) of dark color like robe was the wearing garment in past. It refined into cloak (shoqa) later. Its production quality improved over time and a shoqa with its decorations in a time was unparalleled, and cherished stuff in Chitral. People still use it during winters, and it has remained a symbol of respect and nobility. It further transformed and refined with embroidery in white woolens were chugha and waist-coat. For locals, this expensive and decent attire of either chugha or other woolens once considered to have not been complementary without local headgear: khapol. The woolen knitted sweaters, gloves and socks prepared were the prized wear for winters. Most of these productions have remained dominantly be the universe of women’s production and creative designs in it till its shops were opened for woolens in Chitral bazaar. Besides the varieties of woolens, the moghikan shu has been famous in Chitral. It remains to be expensive and rare in market. For these local products currently shu comes from Swat.

The old snapshots of the people of Chitral tell much about the way people used to dress. In headwear, what appears was a piece of cloth fastened around the head loosely. Later it refined into a turban shape till becoming of khapol a localized headgear. Whatever is the history and origin of ‘chitrali’ it has revitalized itself like the figurines of kausia. Its simple but superb design and finishing in Chitral has localized it. This widely adapted, famed and claimed manly headwear is also donned in other parts of Pakistan and Afghanistan.

It appears logical to say, like other pastoral or mountainous communities, the people in different areas of Chitral would have relied heavily on livestock for meat, leather, milk and other raw resources including work. Animal husbandry continued to be paying for locals till today. Historically, people used a pair of leather pieces (kirkot) to cover foot as footwear. It later transformed, say, to a pair of long leather footwear (kon) replaced it over time. It had widely been used over the course of time. The indigenous production of footwear has received least attention in Chitral so were the local creative touch. The earliest footwear (of plastic) are said to have arrived in the local market of Chitral by 1955. The market of leather and other shoes of different variety are late comer which are fashioned today with diverse designs of shalwar qameez and paints. Interestingly, until 1990s, and even after it, that the majority of students in public schools in Chitral were wearing plastic shoes indiscriminately.

Over time the indigenous people of Chitral also acquainted with a new dress of pants. Whether or not the colonial administration in India modelled its dress code, and her supremacist project influenced locals here wearing of pants was embraced, and it continued a symbol of respect and supremacy. It was both cherished and reacted. Later private schools and colleges introduced pants as school uniforms made it a widely used dress locally. Besides its official and casual use along shalwar qameez, pants were also put on during weddings in Chitral.

Customarily, during weddings in Chitral bride used to wear no-color-specific apparel with embroidered cap and headband, and groom preferably white shalwar qameez with waist-coat and khapol. Wearing bird feathers by people became vogue during weddings and other events as well. Though stayed limited, locals also fashioned pakhtun cap, qaraquli and other varieties. Interestingly, the womanly embroidered cap (khoi) was (and is) sported during weddings, and wore by aged women dominantly until near past. This cap has also been gifted as a norm to the families who were to arrange wedlock. It is featured during events, gifted, and used for showcasing nowadays.

The popularity of shalwar qameez in Chitral can be adjudged by its designs and variety recurring with time and space. It remains to be a common popular local like khapol. The old pictorial insights and current vogue divulge much about this apparel and its designs in Chitral. For illustration, earliest shalwar were short with long collar, and loose qameez left wide, and later the longest shalwar with fitting qameez. Fitting garments still hold market fashion in Chitral, and the designs of hem and collars remain constant.

The clothes of Kalash women have always been well worked, uniquely designed and decorated. In a first glance to identify a woman as Kalash anywhere comes from her dress and styled headgear.

In sum, the apparels, head and footwear of Chitral and in their revitalization accounts for many popular locals with creative touch and poise. They also mark a local market value chain.