Midriff - Culture and History - Indian Culture

Indian Culture

On the other hand, baring the midriff has always been a fashion in Indian women attire. Indian women have traditionally worn saris that bares the midriff, especially South Indian women. The gap on the midriff between sari and the choli presented the elegance of a woman’s graceful sway of her gait. One of the reasons can be that in ancient Indian tradition, the navel of the God Vishnu the Protector is considered to be the center of the universe and the source of life. From his navel a new world of the future emerges. This has been depicted in many ancient Indian sculptures as a lotus emerging from the navel on which God Brahma the Creator is seated. Due to this the midriff is set to be left bare in a sari. Another reason could be due to the hot tropical weather of India.Since the sari is entirely wrapped around the body, the midriff is bared in order to cope up with the heat.Rathi Vinay Jha, director general of the Fashion Design Council of India told, "The bare midriff keeps you cool". In modern fashion trends too,the sari is considered to be the classiest midriff revealer. Men are intrigued by the demure floor-length attire and tantalising display of a bare midriff in the back. But,it is the discretion of the wearer to decide how much of midriff she wants to bare and position the petticoat and pallu accordingly.

By the Indian Physiognomy of a women's body, when the waist of a lady is fat, it indicates her loose character. A waist that is narrow, well formed, not too small nor very large or fleshy, smooth and hairless, is the sign of good luck. If the waist is bent, big, flabby, hairy, rough and crooked, then the lady will be wicked, shrewd and unfortunate. Short, soft belly with veins visible is a sign that woman is sweet and passionate. Hair on the waist indicates an unfortunate woman with a loose character. The sari adapts to a woman's body, rather than defining it, allowing for pregnancy and otherwise expanding girth. And in a culture where having enough to eat is not a given, rolls of fat around the midriff are a sign of prestige, rather than indulgence. Dr.Torsekar, a paediatrician from India who works in Toledo, Ohio, once told, "It maybe hard for American women to imagine going to work with an exposed midriff, but for Indian women, the midriff is considered no more suggestive than the forearm."

Other Indian communities that take midriff in their stride include the women from Rajasthan who leave the midriff exposed while wearing Ghagra Cholis. However, these women often cover their heads with a Dupatta and even cover their faces in front of strangers, which enforces the belief that midriff-baring in India has a symbolic, almost mystical, association with birth and life and that the display is meant to emphasise the centrality of nature in the nurture role. In spite of it, some Indian philosophers gave opposition to exposing midriff in saris. They considered it to be a symbol of adultery. The only ornament accepted by the Hindu culture that can be worn in the midriff region are the waist chains. They are considered to be a part of bridal jewellery.

Due to modern fashion trends, along with saris, the midriff-revealing ghaghra cholis are also popular. Designer Manish Malhotra's Fashion Week collections regularly highlight low waisted ghaghras accompanied by short cholis. Such ghagra cholis are more commonly worn by the Bollywood celebrities in films as well as in real life. For example, actress Malaika Arora Khan featured in midriff revealing ghagra choli without dupatta for the hit songs "Chaiyya Chaiyya" in Dil Se.. (1998) and "Munni Badnam" in Dabangg (2010). Actress Priyanka Chopra featured in a low rise ghagra choli designed by designer Ritu Kumar on the opening show of the HDIL India Couture Week 2008 held in Mumbai. At the Blenders Pride Fashion Tour 2011, she featured in a low rise ghagra choli designed by Neeta Lulla. Recently, actress Amisha Patel walked the ramp in a low rise green Ghagra Choli designed by Rocky S at Aamby Valley City India Bridal Week 2011.