HYDERABAD: From tennis star Sania Mirza to actor Rekha, time and again people revisit the Khada Dupatta adding touches from their own culture and interests to it, piling up on the already rich history of the attire. Mughal Empress Noorjehan invited Turkish and Persian artists to craft a dress which was later revisited by the Begums of Nizam — that’s the birth story of the khada dupatta. What was once the traditional wear of the princesses is now embraced by Hyderabadi brides and bridesmaids from all walks of life.
No matter how many times it is revisited, the khada dupatta manages to retain its traditional charm; from Shahzada Begum, the wife of Mir Osman Ali Khan, to Sahabzadi Fazlika Fatima, the great-granddaughter of the ruler, the bridal ensemble along with the traditional jewellery always manage to leave one awestruck. The earliest khada dupattas were crafted using the finest silk embroidered with pure gold (Zardozi) and silver threads (Sancha). Later, to incorporate it into their daily lives, the royal household modified it into a khada dupatta made of cotton and karga net.
Recollecting the stories he has heard about the attire, Mir Najaf Ali Khan, the grandson of the last Nizam of Hyderabad, Mir Osman Ali Khan, says, “The Begums of the Nizam family modified the khada dupatta according to their interest and the majestic outfits were considered heirlooms and passed down across many generations. The jewellery that is worn along with it is a combination of Tikka, Chintaak (Jadawi Lacha), Karan Phool, Bazu Bund and Paizeb. These were made of Basra pearls, gold and Almaas. Though I don’t see a lot of change in the design of the outfit, people wear it exclusively for weddings now.”
Making a khada dupatta involves impeccable craftmanship. The kurta is made of fine silk with borders (masala) and the churidar is made of fine Banarsi brocade. The best part of this ensemble is the six-m-long dupatta which has an intricate Jaal and Jangla design to match with a Zardozi border. The heavy charm (and the weight) of the dresses displayed in the Chowmahalla Palace is definitely due to the real gold and silver threads used on the dupatta!
Revisiting Khada Dupatta in the 21st century
The rich history of khada dupatta — we owe it to the begums who did not back down from experimenting with it in almost every generation. Currently, designers and Hyderabadi brides team up to continue the legacy. Fareeha Anjum, designer and founder of Anjum Designs in Hyderabad, traces the evolution of the outfit.
“The khada dupatta, the traditional Hyderabadi pehnawa, is a part of our tehzeeb. During my nani’s time, khada dupattas were made in Banarasi Jamdani silks with pure gold borders. In the 1980s, my mother’s khada dupatta was made with pure tissue and Gota borders. In the 90s I saw my aunts carry soft net khada dupattas with traditional Zardozi borders. Since stones and Kundan embellishments were the craze in the early 2000s, we added them to the outfit. Now I can see a lot of Pakistani couture influence in what the brides in the city want,” she says.
It goes without saying that the six-yard dupatta is what everyone has their eyes on when they see the bride. Therefore, designers keep experimenting with embroidery according to brides’ interests. Fareeha champions the traditional craft of the dupatta and tries to incorporate that style into her current designs. “I use some standard elements such as a Gota edge, vintage jhalar/kiran, hand-embossed lampi, hand-crafted almas, ghokru, dabka-salma work, sequins, and zircons for sparkle. Fabrics could be Banarasi silks, tissues, flowy tulle, graceful georgette, elegant crepe and chiffon,” she says,
Aaliya Deeba, designer and founder of IDeebs London in Banjara Hills, feels that growing up, she never had many choices in commercially available khada dupattas. So she set to reinvigorating the style of the khada dupatta. “I introduced new colours to the dress, which was previously dominated by red, and used a number of handicraft techniques. Some of the styles I use are multi-coloured stripes dupatta, uneven hemlines, layered gathering and long length. We also recently introduced khada dupatta with an Anghrakha top.” While Aaliya creates several revised versions of the dress, she is also inspired by the Persian craftsmanship that had floral and geometrical patterns, and plays with the motif sizes.
Zara Khan, designer and founder of Aarz, has created Pishwas and floral khada dupattas which were an immediate hit in the market. Speaking about the challenges she faces with designing this dress, she says, “The primary challenge I face is changing the people’s mindset that the khada dupatta is limited to bridal wear. That is not the case. It has evolved and moved from just being traditional to a more elegant, classic and a version which blends in the modern era.”
Designers speak
How to drape a khada dupatta