Costumes of Union Territories of India

India is a nation that is so vibrant and diverse. In this nation, every state as well as the union territories exhibits a different culture, tradition, a way of life, language, and cuisine. India consists of 28 States and 8 Union Territories. The culture, religion, languages spoken, and attire of the people of India are as diverse as the landscape of this vast country. Due to its diversity this cultural hub does not have just one dress, which can be called the "National Dress" or "Indian Dress". Needless to say, each state and union terror in India have its traditional dress for both men and women that is unique to the region and reflects the history and culture of the region.

Traditional dresses of these states and union territories also showcase the changing climate and weather condition each region because they are made to provide comfort to the wearer. Woollen fabrics are most choosen for the attire of people living in colder regions like Jammu and Kashmir while people living in humid regions like Puducherry prefer clothes made of cotton fabric.

The lifestyle of people of Dadra and Nagar Haveli is influenced by the Portuguese culture. Men in Dadra and Nagar Haveli are spotted in a waistcoat and a shirt, and a long Dhoti along with a headgear called "Varli". Women of Dadra and Nagar Haveli wear "Lugden" which goes to the length of the knee, "Padar," a cloth used to cover the body of women in Dadra and Nagar Haveli. Women of Dodhia and Kokna tribe wear colourful sarees, especially of blue colour. These tribal women are also seen wearing tattoos on their bodies.

People in Chandigarh are spotted wearing colourful clothes with a wide range of designs and fabrics. The traditional dresses of Chandigarh are heavily influenced by the vibrant culture of Punjab, to which it is the capital city. Kurta-Pajamas are seen on men while women wear Salwar-Kameez with a dupatta. Salwar is the bottom wear whereas kameez resembles a long kurta and dupatta is a long piece of cloth used to cover the upper body. Lehenga-cholis and sarees are also common attire of women.

Traditional dressing in Puducherry is mainly influenced by Tamil culture of the neighbor state of Tamil Nadu. The clothing style feature light cotton fabric in comfortable designs to suit the warm humid climate of Puducherry. Men traditionally wear dhotis, also called veshti, with shirts. Young men also wear modern clothes like denims and pants with t-shirts. Women normally wear sarees. They also wear pavadas, a form of long skirt teamed with a blouse. Like men, women also wear modern clothing.

Delhi is a place where people from different states have settled for various business and career opportunities, education and other such things. Though generally the men and women are seen in western outfits like jeans, top, long skirts, T-shirts, shirts with waistcoats and other such stuffs but the traditional dress of Delhi remains Salwar-Kameez with a dupatta for women. They also wear sarees and lehenga-cholis. An equivalent traditional outfit like dhoti-Kurta, Kurta-Pajamas and Sherwani for men. Sometimes, men also prefer wearing Pathani suits. They wear these on festivals and other special occasions. Traditional dressing of Delhi is a vibrant mix of Mughal culture and indo-western fusion. This has resulted in solid colours with rich embroidery works like aari or zardozi embroideries.

Earlier people in Andaman and Nicobar Islands were seen wearing unusual attire inspired from tribes of forests such as coconut-leaf petticoats or clothes made from leaves and barks of trees. Few tribes, even today, walk nude such as the people from Sentinelese tribe and the Jarwas. The other tribal people from Shompen also walk almost nude except they wear clothes from their waist. Though now the people of Andaman Islands have taken to modern ways of lifestyle.

Women in Nicobar Islands are known for wearing a colorful wrap-around skirt in sarong style which they call ‘papoi’ or ‘pulvo.’This skirt is often paired with blouse. Men in Nicobar islands also wear a sarong like cloth to cover their lower body with their upper body remain bare. 

The traditional costume for men and women in Lakshadweep Islands are heavily influenced by the dressing style of Kerala, the nearest state of India with this archipelago of islands. The people in Lakshadweep are seen in colourful attires. The women in Lakshadweep wear "Kanchi", which is worn from waist and is a rectangular piece of cloth. Its borders are black and the colour of the skirt is either white or black. Men, on the other hand wear a "Lungi" which is coloured and is fixed with a silver thread from front.

Daman and Diu is located in close proximity to the state of Gujarat. The traditional clothing style of the people of Damana and Diu is a blend of Gujarati, Marathi, and Portuguese influences. The clothes are marked by vibrant colours and lightweight fabrics suitable for coastal climate. Men in Daman and Diu usually wear Pathani suits, Kurta-Pajamas and Dhotis. Women wear Nauvari saree, Kashti, Pano Bhaju and other such traditional outfits.  The Garba-popularized ghaghra-choli is also common among women.

The traditional costume of men and women in Jammu and Kashmir is influenced by the region’s cold climate and cultural influences. Pheran, a long, loose woollen gown often serve as the most prominent attire for both men and women. It is commonly paired with salwar, Pashmina shawls, and traditional headgear such as the Kasaba worn by Muslim women Hindu women wear the same long pheran with a cloth tied at the waist called lungi. This dress is often teamed with Taranga on special occasions. Taranga is the traditional headgear. Men wear the Pheran paired with a pajama, while in the Jammu region, they wear a Dogri kurta with a churidar pajama.