Poshak Explained

Poshak, also called Vāstra ^[1] is the Hindi term used for the complete attire used in the vedic period. As mentioned in Sanskrit literature and Buddhist Pali literature during the 6th century BC, the costumes belonging to the Vedic and post-Vedic period 1500 BCE to 350 BCE consisted of the antariya, which is the lower garment, the uttariya, which is a veil worn over the shoulder or the head, and the stanapatta, which is a chest band. The modernday Sari is one of the evolved poshak earlier known as Sattika (which means women's attire) that was single garment to wrap around the waist and cover the head.^{[2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10]}

Meaning

Poshak means a specific type of costume in English.^{[11] [12]} Vasna or Vastar (means dress) has two main categories vasa for lower, and Adhivasa for upper body parts, other related terms of garb used in Vedas are as following.

• Suvasa was the term for a splendid garment
• Suvasna for well clad
• Surabhi for well fitting clothes.^[13]

Types and styles

Poshak, pridhaan was a set of clothes for men and women. These clothes were common and unsewn but varied with the size and style of wrapping and draping. They have various descriptions of associated ensembles in Vedas, such as for the characters in the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. Sari, is significantly stated in the Hindu epic Mahabharata, the war took place in 3067 BCE.^{[14] [15]}

Forms

• Uttariya is an upper body garment.
• Adivasah is a loose-fitting outer garment, it is a type of over garment similar to a mantle or cloak
• Antariya is a lower body garment.
• Stanapatta is a chest band to cover the breasts.
• Sari

Bhesha

Suna Besha is an event at the Jagannath Temple, Puri, where the Hindu deities Shri Jagannath ji, Balabhadra, and Subhadra are adorned with poshak variety of jewelry. The rituals are similar in many other Hindu temples where the devotees offer Poshak to the deities as a part of their prayers.^{[16] [17]}

Different costumes of Vedic culture

Following sculptures in the Indian subcontinent, terracottas, cave paintings, and wood carvings conferring men and women wore the same (unstitched) clothes with various wrapping and draping styles.

Poetic references

Silapadikkaram indicate that during the Sangam period (third-century BCE to fourth-century CE in ancient South India), a single piece of clothing served as both lower and upper.^[18]

Evolution

With changing times, social norms and the introduction of sewing developed the wraps into many attractive costumes. Uttariya became dupatta,^[19] Antriya changed into the skirt (ghagra),^[20] and stanapatta became choli.^{[21] [22] [23] [24]} Sari, of course, is evolved from these articles.^{[25] [26]}

See also

• Kanchuka, the foremost recorded bodice used in India.
• History of clothing in the Indian subcontinent
• Vedas, ancient scriptures of Hinduism.

Notes and References

1. Book: Monier-Williams . Monier . A Sanskrit-English Dictionary: ...with Special Reference to Greek, Latin, Gothic, German, Anglo-saxon... . 1872 . Clarendon . 896 . en.
2. ''This three-piece ensemble or poshak (generic term for costume), is mentioned in Sanskrit literature and Buddhist Pali literature of the sixth century BCE. The antariya evolved into the skirt, known as ghagra and lehenga.

   https://www.google.co.in/books/edition/Keywords_for_India/u6XFDwAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=P

3. Book: Ayyar, Sulochana. Costumes and Ornaments as Depicted in the Sculptures of Gwalior Museum. 1987. Mittal Publications. 978-81-7099-002-4. en.
4. Book: Mahapatra, N. N.. Sarees of India. 2016. Woodhead Publishing India PVT. Limited. 978-93-85059-69-8. 3. en.
5. Book: Bhandari, Vandana. Costume, Textiles and Jewellery [i.e. Jewelry] of India: Traditions in Rajasthan]. 2005. Mercury Books. 978-1-904668-89-3. 105. en.
6. Book: Gupta, Gaṇapati Candra. Sāhitya vijñāna. 1963. hi.
7. Book: शास्त्री, सुखदा. वैदिक शब्दों का अर्थ-परिशीलन: वैदिक कोष नघण्टु में पठित कतिपय शब्दों का व्यापक अर्थानुसन्धान. 2006. Saṃskr̥ta Granthāgāra. hi.
8. Book: Kilgour. Robert. Aṅgrezī-Nepalī Śabdakośa, Népalais. Duncan. H. C.. Pradhan. G. P.. 1990. Asian Educational Services. 978-81-206-0101-7. 18, 48. en.
9. Book: Kumar, Ritu. Costumes and Textiles of Royal India. 2006. Antique Collectors' Club. 978-1-85149-509-2. en.
10. Web site: The history of sari: The nine yard wonder - Times of India. 2021-01-21. The Times of India. en.
11. Web site: English Translation of "पोशाक" Collins Hindi-English Dictionary. 2021-01-21. www.collinsdictionary.com. en.
12. Web site: पोशाक Poshak Meaning Sanskrit Hindi Translate Arth Kya Matlab. 2021-01-21. www.bsarkari.com.
13. Book: Biswas, A. (Arabinda). Indian Costumes. 2003. Publications Division, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Government of India. Public Resource. 978-81-230-1055-7.
14. Book: Biswas, A.. Indian Costumes. 2017-09-15. Publications Division Ministry of Information & Broadcasting. 978-81-230-2564-3. en.
15. Book: Kumar, Ritu. Costumes and Textiles of Royal India. 2006. Antique Collectors' Club. 978-1-85149-509-2. 16. en.
16. Book: Packert, Cynthia. The Art of Loving Krishna: Ornamentation and Devotion. 2010-07-07. Indiana University Press. 978-0-253-00462-8. 149. en.
17. Web site: Puri temple Lords dazzle in gold. 2021-01-21. The New Indian Express.
18. Book: Nair. Rukmini Bhaya. Keywords for India: A Conceptual Lexicon for the 21st Century. deSouza. Peter Ronald. 2020-02-20. Bloomsbury Publishing. 978-1-350-03925-4. en.
19. Chintaman Vinayak Vaidya, (2001) "Epic India : India as Described in the Mahabharata and the Ramayana", p.144
20. J. Correia-Afonso, (1984) "Indica, Volume 21, Issue 2", p.126
21. Prachya Pratibha, 1978 "Prachya Pratibha, Volume 6", p.121
22. Agam Kala Prakashan, 1991 "Costume, coiffure, and ornaments in the temple sculpture of northern Andhra", p.118
23. Roshen Alkazi, 1996 "Ancient Indian Costume", p.48
24. Book: Levick. Melba. IndiaColor: Spirit, Tradition, and Style. Crites. Mitchell. Nanji. Ameeta. 2008. Chronicle Books. 978-0-8118-5316-3. 47.
25. Mohapatra, R. P. (1992) "Fashion styles of ancient India", B. R. Publishing corporation,
26. Sachidanand, Sahay (1975) Indian costume, coiffure, and ornament. Chapter 2 'Female Dress', Munshiram Manoharlal publishers Pvt Ltd. pp 31–55