Sharara & Gharara: Nawabi Grandeur
Dramatic flared trousers with Nawabi roots - and two names people constantly mix up. Here is what the sharara and the gharara are, and the one clear difference that tells them apart.
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Questions
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What is the difference between a sharara and a gharara?
A sharara has wide trousers that flare continuously from around the waist or knee, giving a skirt-like sweep. A gharara is fitted at the thigh, then bursts into a wide flare from a ruched, gathered join at the knee - the fitted-then-flared shape is its signature.
Where do the sharara and gharara come from?
Both trace to the Nawabi culture of Lucknow (Awadh) and the wider Mughal-era courts, where royal and aristocratic women wore them. Each is worn as a set with a kameez or short kurta and a dupatta.
When are shararas and ghararas worn?
Rich with embroidery, often chikankari or zardozi, they are favourites for weddings, mehndi and sangeet ceremonies - occasions that call for movement, colour and a sense of regal celebration.
Are sharara and gharara hard to make?
They are construction-heavy garments - the flare, the knee-join of a gharara and the fit of the kameez all demand real tailoring skill, so they reward an experienced maker.
Questions
Frequently asked
What is Kantha embroidery?
Kantha is a traditional hand-embroidery from the Bengal region built on the simple running stitch. It began with rural women layering old saris and stitching them into quilts, and grew into an art form used today on saris, dupattas and designer wear.
Where does Kantha come from?
Kantha originates in rural Bengal — today's West Bengal in India and Bangladesh. In 2008, Nakshi Kantha received the Geographical Indication (GI) tag for West Bengal, associated especially with the Birbhum district near Shantiniketan.
What stitch is used in Kantha?
The running stitch — the simplest of all embroidery stitches. Repeated with skill, it outlines motifs and fills areas, creating Kantha's soft, rippled, textured surface. Every piece is slightly different because it is entirely hand-worked.
Can Kantha be used on modern designer wear?
Yes. Kantha and Kantha-inspired detailing appears today on blouses, saris, dupattas, kurtas and jackets. Being hand-done, it gives each garment a genuinely one-of-a-kind, heritage character.