Category Archives: South India

Seasons Greetings

Posted on 26/12/2018 by Anu M

The annual post on Christmas themed art from India. First up the Margam Kali from Kerala.  The dance is not Christmas specific though many schools do seem to hold competitions including the dance around December. The costume is the traditional … Continue reading →

Posted in 20th century, Art, Christianity, clothing, Costume, costumes in art, Culture, Dance, indian art, Indian Costume, Indian Women, Kerala, Sari, South India, vintage art, Women | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

Goddess

Posted on 25/09/2017 by Anu M

During this month the spirits of the ancestors descend on earth to be propitiated.  It is the time to worship the nine Durgas for prosperity in this life and future salvation.  The kings and their pandits set out to visit … Continue reading →

Posted in 17th century, 18th century, 2017 posts, Art, Costume, costumes in art, Culture, Deccan, Goddess, historical costume, India, Indian Aesthetics, indian art, Indian Costume, indian festivals, Indian Literature, Indian Textiles, Indian Women, Literature, Sari, sari drape, South India | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

The costumes of Bazaar (1982)

Posted on 08/12/2016 by Anu M

80s arthouse aesthetic in Bazaar (1982). The movie deals with the poorer Muslim communities of Hyderabad and the financial compulsions that lay behind many an unequal and unwanted marriage contract.  Some parts of the costuming reflect the milieu. With Shabnam … Continue reading →

Posted in 1980s, 20th century, Actor, churidar kameez, churidar kurta, Cinema, Costumes in Cinema, film costumes, Film Costuming, Flowers, Hair, Hairstyles, Indian Aesthetics, Indian Cinema, Indian Costume, Indian Women, Islamic style, late 20th century, retro cinema, retro fashion, retro hair, Salwar Kameez, South India, Vintage, vintage cinema, vintage costume, vintage style | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

RIP Jayalalithaa

Posted on 08/12/2016 by Anu M

Jayalalithaa – 24 February 1948 – 5 December 2016  

Posted in 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, 20th century, Actor, Cinema, fashion, Feminism, Indian Cinema, Indian fashion, Indian Women, late 20th century, Politicians, Politics, retro cinema, retro fashion, Sari, Sari Blouse, South India, South Indian Cinema, Tamil Cinema, Tamil Nadu, vintage fashion, Women, Women Rulers | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

The Period Drama Post

Posted on 26/02/2016 by Anu M

A look at a few contemporary period dramas in regional cinema, almost all are set in the 20th century. मी वेगळी आहे विन्या (I am different, Vinya).  The staging of a play in Ravi Jadhav’s short, Mitraa, during which Sumitra realises … Continue reading →

Posted in 1880s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 20th century, Actor, Bengal, Bengali cinema, Costume, Early 20th Century, fashion, fictional detectives, Film Costuming, Indian Cinema, Indian Costume, Indian Dress, Indian fashion, Indian men, Indian Women, Late 19th century, Lesbianism, Literature, Love, Malayalam Cinema, Marathi cinema, Novels, Period Drama, Regional cinema, Regional period drama, regional styles, retro cinema, retro fashion, Sari, Sari Blouse, Sets, South India, Tamil Cinema, Vintage, Vintage Blouse, vintage costume, vintage fashion | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

The Music Post

Posted on 13/08/2015 by Anu M

From a series of posts I did the week of 13 July 2015-17 July 2015. Saraswati painted by Hishida Shunsō [X, X] Flute Player (1) and Esraj Player (2), Nandalal Bose.  Both were painted in 1937 and were commissioned by … Continue reading →

Posted in 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 20th century, Culture, Early 20th Century, Folk, Folk Dance, Goddess, Hinduism, India, Indian Music, Indian Singers, Indian Women, Japanese art, Music, Paintings, photodivision, Photography, regional styles, Sari, Sari Blouse, Sets, South India, Vintage Blouse, Vintage Music, vintage photography, vintage sari, Women | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The Islamic Dress Post

Posted on 20/04/2015 by Anu M

When you think of Muslim influenced fashion in India you think of anarkalis, gauzy dupattas, tight churidars, a North Indian style that has a tremendous grip on the popular imagination not least because of Hindi movies. While the Mughals with … Continue reading →

Posted in 1900s, 1920s, 1940s, 19th century, 20th century, Accessories, Art, churidar kameez, Colonial, Costume, Culture, Deccan, Dress Reform, dupatta, Early 20th Century, Family, fashion, Girls, India, indian art, Indian Dress, Indian fashion, Indian Women, Islamic Dress, Islamic style, Literature, Mughal, Paintings, Photography, Postcards, regional styles, Religion, retro, retro fashion, Salwar Kameez, Sari, Sari Blouse, South India, Vintage, vintage art, vintage costume, Vintage Dress, vintage fashion, vintage photography, vintage sari, Women | 3 Comments

वसन्त ऋतु – Spring

Posted on 09/03/2015 by Anu M

It’s spring in India. And while the illustration above* is all mildness and white (and indeed the kunda finds mention in a lot of Sanskrit spring poetry) the flowers of spring that are emblematic of the season are quite red … Continue reading →

Posted in Ancient India, Art, Asia, Contemporary, Costume, Culture, Flora, Flowers, historical art, historical costume, historical dress, historical fashions, History, Illustration, indian art, Indian Dress, Indian History, Indian Illustrators, miniature paintings, Paintings, Poetry, Sanskrit, Sculpture, South India, Vintage, vintage art, Vintage Blouse | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

The Kerala Post

Posted on 26/02/2015 by Anu M

This post was in response to a reader request on tumblr. Its fairly basic and is confined mainly to the 19th and 20th century but does cover some ground. Here goes! Though the “set-mundu” consisting of two pieces of cloth … Continue reading →

Posted in 1890s, 1900s, 1910s, 1920s, 1930s, 1950s, 1970s, 19th century, 20th century, Accessories, Art, Colonial, Costume, Culture, Early 20th Century, fashion, Flora, Flowers, Girls, Hair, historical costume, historical dress, India, Indian Dress, Indian fashion, Indian Literature, Indian Women, Kerala, Late 19th century, Malayalam Cinema, Period Drama, Photography, regional styles, Royalty, Sari, Sari Blouse, sari drape, sari history, Sets, South India, South Indian Cinema, Studio Portraits, vintage costume, vintage fashion, vintage hair, vintage jewellery, vintage sari | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

The 1940s Film Post

Posted on 07/01/2015 by Anu M

இது, இது, இது எல்லாம் ஜப்பான். எல்லாம் செத்து ஒரு ரூபாய் கூட இருக்காது! This, this, this, it’s all from Japan. And all together not more than 1 Rupee! 1940s movies can be a bit amateurish to the modern eye but they can … Continue reading →

Posted in 1940s, 20th century, Accessories, Actor, Cinema, Culture, Early 20th Century, fashion, Film Costuming, Flowers, Hair, Indian Cinema, Indian Dress, Indian fashion, Indian Women, Japan, Movies, regional styles, retro fashion, Sari, Sari Blouse, sari drape, sari history, Sets, South India, South Indian Cinema, Tamil, Tamil Cinema, Tamil Nadu, Vintage, Vintage Blouse, Vintage Dress, vintage fashion, vintage jewellery, vintage sari, vintage style, Women | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments