Traditional Dress of the Kolis of Mumbai
Introduction
Often, the first thing that catches your eye about someone is their attire. People perceive clothing as an extension of their identity, acting as a medium for interaction with the world. Clothing styles and patterns suggest the occupation in which people may be employed. The traditional way of dressing in Mumbai's fishing community, the Kolis, is quite unique and complements their main occupation of fishing.
Men
Headgear, such as hats and caps, has historically been a significant component of one’s attire. People usually depict sailors, pirates, and seafarers wearing long, wide hats. The Koli hat, or kamblichi topi, red in colour and rectangular at the top instead of curved, has been a part of traditional Koli attire for a long time, but its origin is a subject of conjecture. Only the Kolis of Mandvi, Thana, Versova, and Madh donned the red hat, according to the Gazetteer. [1] The Kolis of Revdanda wore flatter-shaped hats, while the Pan Kolis (Panbhare Kolis) wore turbans. The Kolis, who lived north of Bhayandar and Bassein (now Vasai), wore the kantopi, or ear cap. As fashion evolved over time, Koli men started wearing earrings (bali) on their upper ears as well as earrings (gathe) on their earlobes. Wearing caps with ear flaps became troublesome. Folding the ear flaps upwards would have made wearing the hat more convenient, leaving the ears free and avoiding hassle. [2]
Sawant mentions that the Koli men wear two types of topi (caps). The first kind is usually white. This woolen cap featured a ball of tufted wool (gonda) in the middle. Occasionally, one can observe these tufts of wool on either side of the cap. All Koli men wear it when they go out to sea. Nakhwas, or boat owners, wear the second type, known as topra. They are made with better wool and are either red or orange in colour. [3]
Although there is no definite explanation for the origin of the Koli red hats, the purpose behind wearing caps while going out to sea is more or less practical. At sea, people wear caps to control their head temperature. Caps help to keep the head warm in winter and cool in summer. These hats protected the Kolis from the sun and wind when they went out to sea. The wind is less likely to blow off knitted, horizontally worn hats than those worn vertically. For the Panbhare Kolis, whose primary occupation was supplying water to various parts of the city, [4] turbans may have acted as resting pads for the pots used to carry the water.
Nowadays, the Kolis wear woollen red caps with a tuft on top. They are either plain red in colour, have one or two black stripes or bands running horizontally across the body of the cap, or have bands of black and white stripes with aai ekvira (Mother Ekvira) in Marathi written between them on the front. The Kolis' red cap serves as an identity marker. The cap extends to cover the ears or rests above them, depending on the wearer. Today, it is popularly known as the Koli topi or the Aagri-Koli topi.
The Koli men used to wear a red langoti (loincloth), one of the most basic forms of male clothing, while working or out at sea. The langoti is not seen today. The Kolis also wear the surkha, or surka, commonly referred to as rumal. The surka is a two- to three-foot-long cloth that is square in shape. It is also known as teen ghadi, which literally translates to ‘three folds.’ Once tied around the waist, it resembles a triangle. [6] The surka reaches just below the knees or extends a little past the knees, depending on the wearer. The surka's current form may have developed from the langoti. The surka comes in various colours, patterns, and fabrics. Some prints even feature fish motifs.
When fishing at sea, it is customary to wear a rough woollen waistcoat (kurta) over the rumal. [7] [8] For ceremonial occasions, Kolis traditionally wear a long white coat (angarakha), a red handkerchief (uparna) worn on the shoulder, a langoti, sandals, and the Koli red hat. During marriage ceremonies, Kolis wear mandil (a stiff, tall headdress), jama (a long white robe with tight sleeves knotted under the left arm), and pichodi (a broad band made of the same material as the jama). Only during a pat (remarriage) ceremony can Kolis wear the red hat. [9] At other times, Koli men wear a dhotar, also known as a dhoti, and a pairan, a kurta with side slits [10]. In the winter, the Koli men wear a warm bandi or peti. A bandi is a woolen vest/jacket. Men wear sandals known as vahanas. The vahanas resemble Kolhapuri chappals in their construction and weight. [11]
A change in time, surroundings, and occupation also causes a change in one's attire. Koli men's clothing styles have also changed in modern times. Men don traditional surkas during important occasions and festivals. During such occasions, men wear a t-shirt or shirt alongside the surka. Koli men sometimes wear a jacket over the upper garment. The everyday attire of Koli men includes t-shirts, shirts, pants, and trousers. Koli men typically wear shirts, t-shirts, or vests paired with shorts or half-pants when they venture out to sea. The adoption of Western clothes is a matter of convenience, comfort, and flexibility.
Women
The Koli fisherwoman is known for how she drapes her saree. This method is commonly referred to as the Koli kaastha pattern. The saree is “tightly drawn around the thighs,”[12] “The Koli women wear a bodice and cotton saree drawn tightly between the legs.” [13] Traditionally, people draped the Koli sarees, also known as lugat, lugda, or lugra, to cover their thighs and reach their knees. [14] Because Koli women often work in or near mud and water, the saree is short, allowing them to work freely.
The sleeves of Koli women's blouses, known as the choli, extend to the elbow. In earlier times, the Koli women did not wear blouses, but the practice also began among the Kolis as they got acquainted with other communities. [15] The basic choli has evolved in forms and patterns as fashion has advanced.
Unmarried Koli women wear the tokra lugra, or half saree. [16] According to The Gazetteer, the Christian and Son Koli girls do not use the upper portion of the saree, which covers the head and breast, until after marriage. On a designated day, the elders and the caste panchayat call the bride, instructing her to cover her head and bosom (padar ghene), after which they formally bless her. Only the panchayat headmen are authorised to conduct this last ritual, which is required to enter the ranks of womanhood. [17] The practice of covering the upper body did not exist in the Koli community. The practice of covering the upper body evolved once the Kolis got in touch with other communities.
Married women wear what is referred to as the purna padrachi saadi, or full saree. [18] It is a common misconception that the Koli saree is a nauvari saree that measures nine yards. The Koli saree is, in fact, a twelve-yard (bara vaar) saree draped in the kaastha style. The saree is tightly draped around the waist. This tight method of draping the saree is known as the aathe. It ensures the saree remains securely fastened. The padar, or pallu, is always tied to the waist. This enables the women to work freely. Shegli or soga is the loose front part of the saree. The saree's drape is designed to allow the woman easy and quick mobility.
The Koligeet Laay Laay Layekarni celebrates the unique characteristics of each Koliwada's women. The song refers to the safed parkya (white scarves/dupattas) worn by the women of Mumbai (Mobai), the long soga (lamb soga) of women from Versova (Yesav), and the printed sarees (chaapil saarya) of women from Mora Port, the region around Uran.
One can see these mentioned in the lyrics of the Koligeet:
…Vatin khurda varlikarni pori varlikarni, safed parkya mobaikarni
Lamb sogyachya yesavkarni pori yesavkarni, kalya tiklya dande karni
Yenila gonda malvankarni pori malvankarni…
Chappil saarya moryakarni pori moryakarni, Motha ambara karjekarni…[19]
The long white scarf (pharki) is a distinctive identity marker for the Koli women. The pharki serves as a scarf or dupatta for women who wear half-sarees. Traditionally, Koli women carried the pharki on their shoulders as they headed to the markets to sell fish. It is a simple white cloth with colorful borders and flower patterns. People also use the pharki as a cloth pad (chumbal) to rest fish baskets on their heads. The community values its cultural significance and wears it during both marriage and death ceremonies. [20]
Children
Until they are 10–12 years of age, the Koli boys wear a kurta and half chaddi (shorts). As they grow older, they start donning shorts. The girls wear a ghagra that reaches their feet, and over time, they will shift to a parkar (petticoat) and blouse. Once the girl reaches puberty, she starts wearing the half saree and blouse. [21]
Footnotes:
[1] Edwards, The Gazetteer of the Bombay City and Island, Vol.1., 229.
[2] Edwards, The Gazetteer of Bombay City and Island, Vol. I, 229
[3] Sawant, Mumbaitil Koli Samaj: Kaal an Aaj, 23
[4] Enthoven, The Tribes and Castes of Bombay Vol. II, 256
[5] Edwards, The Gazetteer of Bombay City and Island Vol. I, 229
[6] Sawant, Mumbaitil Koli Samaj: Kaal an Aaj, 23
[7] ibid
[8] Edwards, The Gazetteer of Bombay City and Island Vol. I, 229
[9] ibid, 229-230
[10] Surve, ‘Traditional Textiles of Maharashtra’, Textile Value Chain
[11] Sawant, Mumbaitil Koli Samaj: Kaal an Aaj, 23
[12] Enthoven, The Tribes and castes of Bombay Vol. 2, 263
[13] Edwards, The Gazetteer of Bombay City and Island Vol. I, 230
[14] Strip and Strip, The Peoples of Bombay, 19 (Illustration of a Koli man and woman in color by Rao Bahadur M.V. Dhurandhar)
[15] Sawant, Mumbaitil Koli Samaj: Kaal an Aaj, 24
[16] Mumbaikar Folks, कोळी साडी - लुगडी प्रकार व माहिती/बारावार 12 Yards saree drape/koli Fisherfolks women's attire/Vlog, YouTube Video
[17] Edwards, The Gazetteer of Bombay City and Island Vol. I, 230
[18] Mumbaikar Folks, कोळी साडी - लुगडी प्रकार व माहिती/बारावार 12 Yards saree drape/koli Fisherfolks women's attire/Vlog, YouTube Video
[19] Shahir Balakram Varlikar, Laay Laay Layekarni https://youtu.be/kBD0_H-XbWY?si=jh1Ud4mXZsEvZ1rF
[20] Mumbaikar Folks, सफेद फडकी घेण्याचे प्रकार - कोळी महिला खांद्यावर फडकी का घेतात? जाणून घेऊया वेसावकर कोळी मावशी कढून, YouTube Video
[21] Sawant, Mumbaitil Koli Samaj: Kaal ani Aaj, 25
Bibliography:
Books:
Edwards, S. M. The Gazetteer of the Bombay City and Island 1. Cosmo Publications, 1909.
Enthoven, Reginald Edward. The Tribes and Castes of Bombay 2. Printed at the Government Central Press, 1922.
Sawant, Surekha. Mumbaitil Koli Samaj: Kaal Ani Aaj. Dimple Publication, 2007.
Strip, Percivial and Olivia Strip. The Peoples of Bombay. Thacker & Co. Ltd, 1944.
Journal Articles:
Conover, Michael R. "The importance of various shell characteristics to the shell-selection behavior of hermit crabs." Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 32, no. 2 (1978): 131–142.
Gilligan, Ian. "The prehistoric development of clothing: archaeological implications of a thermal model." Journal of Archaeological Method and Theory 17 (2010): 15–80.
Hallett, Emily Y., Curtis W. Marean, Teresa E. Steele, Esteban Álvarez-Fernández, Zenobia Jacobs, Jacopo Niccolò Cerasoni, Vera Aldeias et al. "A worked bone assemblage from 120,000–90,000 year old deposits at Contrebandiers Cave, Atlantic Coast, Morocco." iScience 24, no. 9 (2021).
Mohanty, Sangita S. “Practice of Traditional Rituals and Rites of Koli Community and its Transition: A Study on Koli Community of Thane.” Editorial Board 9, no. 6 (2020).
Web articles:
Gilligan, Ian. “My search for the origins of clothing.” Sapiens, April 20, 2023. https://www.sapiens.org/archaeology/paleolithic-clothing-origins/ Accessed: February 12, 2024
Surve, Sampada Girish. Traditional Textiles of Maharashtra. Textile Value Chain. March 5, 2020 https://textilevaluechain.in/in-depth-analysis/articles/traditional-textiles/traditional-textiles-of-maharashtra/ Accessed: February 24, 2024
YouTube Videos:
Ramle, Mohit. ‘कोळी साडी - लुगडी प्रकार व माहिती/बारावार 12 Yards saree drape/koli Fisherfolks women's attire/Vlogg.’ Mumbaikar Folks by Mohit Ramle, YouTube Video. May 29, 2020. https://youtu.be/OmnASahA1N0?si=KUIIvp80Vax12LPa
Ramle, Mohit. ‘सफेद फडकी घेण्याचे प्रकार, - कोळी महिला खांद्यावर फडकी का घेतात? जाणून घेऊया वेसावकर कोळी मावशी कढून.’ Mumbaikar Folks by Mohit Ramle, YouTube Video. January 27, 2023. https://youtu.be/CzfJIeW39Y?si=mSCCRxhom8oVeLU
Varlikar, Shahir Balakram. ‘Laay Laay Laayekarni.’ Saregama India Ltd., YouTube Video. February 27, 2019. https://youtu.be/kBD0_H-XbWY?si=jh1Ud4mXZsEvZ1rF