Going Out in Style Trivia Quiz

Answer: Horse riding

Traditionally worn by the royal families in Rajasthan during horse riding, these trousers were originally broad at the hips and snugly fitting from the knee to the ankle. Realising the comfort in adopting these trousers during equestrian activities, army officers during the British Raj also took to donning these garments.

The wearing of jodhpurs during polo games also helped to increase their popularity.

Answer: Jawaharlal Nehru

Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru was one of the key figures in the Indian struggle for independence and became the first Prime Minister of independent India. Nehru commonly sported the achkan or sherwani, a long fitted coat that reached up to the knees. This inspired the Nehru jacket which has a closed mandarin type collar and reaches to the hip of the wearer. Nehru is not known to have actually worn this jacket, however, the garment was marketed using the term 'Nehru jacket' and has been known as such ever since.

Answer: Mango

The origins of the kidney shaped pattern can be traced to India and Persia. The pattern resembles the mango and the native terms for the design in languages like Urdu and Punjabi are derived from their words for the fruit. The print became so popular that exports from India were unable to match the demand leading to the Scottish town of Paisley becoming a hub for its manufacture.

The design eventually came to be known as the Paisley print.

Answer: True

Khadi is used to refer to any type of handspun, hand woven cloth and can be produced using any fibers including cotton, silk or wool. It can be dyed in various colours and is often starched to produce a stiff look.

The Swadeshi movement was launched by Gandhi to promote the use of indigenously manufactured products and boycott the goods sold by the British. The enduring image of the movement is of Gandhi spinning khadi cloth on a charkha (spinning wheel) with khadi promoted to counter the textiles manufactured in Britain and then sold in India. The call for Swadeshi and by extension handmade khadi cloth was widely embraced by the public. While Jawaharlal Nehru, who later became the first Prime Minister of India, was in jail, he spun a pink colour sari for his daughter Indira for her marriage. Earlier versions of the Indian flag had the charkha at the centre before it was replaced by a 24 spoke wheel called the Ashoka Chakra.

Answer: Footwear

Mojaris are a type of handmade leather shoes which may slightly taper or curve at the toes. The shoes may be decorated using embroidery or mirror work. Traditionally associated with the state of Rajasthan, the shoes have completely flat soles and there is no distinction between the shoes for the right and left feet. Earlier versions of the shoes had open backs, though shoes with closed backs are also available these days.

Similar types of footwear are known as 'jutti' in the region of Punjab.

Answer: Ghoonghat

The ghoonghat is worn by women from conservative communities and is used to cover the face in front of outsiders and other men. Often, the loose end of the sari drape serves as a ghoonghat.

The other three are different terms used to describe a turban. Wound around the head, the turban consists of a strip of unstitched cloth. Different regions and communities have their own variations with regard to the tying of the turban and the cloths used.

Answer: Gold threads

The term 'zardozi' is derived from the Persian language and means 'sewing with gold'. This delicate embroidery is only done by hand and commands a premium for its intricacy. In India, it flourished during the Mughal Empire when such craftsmen were patronized by various royal families.

Answer: Flowers in her hair

A gajra is a flower garland worn by women in their hair. The flowers are usually that of jasmine, though a few other native flowers may also be used. The gajra may be pinned into a braid or woven around a bun.

The bindi is a dot on the forehead and typically worn by Hindu women. It is believed to represent the 'third eye'.

Answer: Cashmere

The cashmere fiber is derived from goats of the same name. The goats are named after an alternate spelling for the region of Kashmir. The famous Pashmina shawls are also produced using the wool of a type of Cashmere goat. Another famous shawl created from cashmere is the Jamavar which is noted for its mango inspired paisley print.

The state of Kashmir is a disputed region with parts of it claimed by Pakistan since the partition of India in 1947.

Shahtoosh are a type of shawl woven using the hair of the chiru, a type of Tibetan antelope. These shawls were traditionally made only by certain skilled Kashmiri weavers who could handle the fine fibers. The shawls are famed for being so delicate and fine that an entire shawl can pass through a finger ring. Huge demand for these shawls led to poaching of the chiru and it soon became an endangered species. The commercial trade of shahtoosh is now banned under various international treaties to protect the chiru.

Answer: Sari

Though the most common style of draping a sari consists of a six yard cloth, saris can range from four to nine yards. Generally tucked into a skirt or petticoat worn at the waist, the sari in its most common form is draped around the lower half of the body and the drape is then slung over the left shoulder.

It is worn with a short blouse that covers the chest. There are over fifty different ways to drape a sari with different regions and ethnicities having their own distinct style. Different regions have also produced their own distinct style of saris depending on the fabric, the method of weaving the cloth or the design used.