Attire of Mangalorean Catholics

Costumes

Mangalorean Catholic men used to wear long loose frilled white or black coats known as kutav (similar to the Maratha loose coats) with buttons, over a loose shirt (zibbo), while the dhoti (pudvem), a piece of unstitched cloth, usually around 7 yards long, that was wrapped around the waist and the legs, and knotted at the waist. The turbans were usually flattened like the Coorgi turbans (Mundaas or Urmal). The Mundaas or Urmal or is a long white piece of cloth with a golden hem (todop) and is tied around the head like a turban in a peculiar manner by which they could easily be recognized as Catholics. In modern times, this mode has changed. Only a few old people can be seen wearing this traditional dress on church going occasions.

Before marriage, women used to wear a Kirgi (sari) and Baju (blouse). The kirgi is a piece of cloth, not longer than four feet and about three feet broad. It was wrapped around the body from the waist down. A jacket called baju with long sleeves was used to cover the upper part of the body. This dress was a sign of her virginity and wore it during the Ros ceremony. The kirgi was wrapped around the waist, but the end of the sari is not thrown over the shoulder. To wear the sari with its end thrown over the shouider, known as worl, is the exclusive right of a married woman. Married women used to wear sarees the general way. The Salwar kameez is another form of popular dress for females.

The Mangalorean Catholic bride's wedding sari is known as an Sado. It is usually a red coloured Banarasi sari, which are made of finely woven silk and are decorated with elaborate engravings. In olden days, the bride wore on her head a red cloth, three feet long and as many broad. After the wedding was over, the Sado was well preserved and worn only on high feast-days or for weddings. Sometimes a particularly precious sado was handed down from mother to daughter and considered a valuable heirloom. The cost of a sado was reckoned in varahas. Saris are known for their variety by special names, such as Katari, Shilari, Gulabi, etc. Both the Sado and Dharma sado were costly saris, while the Sado was the most expensive, the Dharma Sado was the second most expensive. Some Mangalorean Catholic brides also wear a white sari during the Nuptial Blessing in Church. The bridegroom's dress in the early times consisted of a short loincloth of hand-woven cloth (Dhoti), a shawl to cover his shoulders and a red handkerchief on the head (leis). The groom's dress was gradually improved. Later, his dress consisted of a white loincloth with a red and gold hem (todop), a shirt with gold buttons and a coat (kutav), a shawl on the shoulders and a towel (Urmal) on the head. The bridegroom wore a chakrasar (neck chain) around his neck. He wore a pair of sandals or at least a pair of socks. In modern times however, some westernized Mangalorean Catholic couples have a White wedding, where the bridegroom wears a suit, while the bride wears a white gown.

Ornaments

The earliest bridal ornament was the pirduk around the neck. It was a necklace of black glass beads strung on a thread made of the fibres of dried pineapple (ananas) leaves. This necklace was to be worn as long as the husband was alive; a widow had to take it off. It was highly prized by the women as the symbol of their married state. The pirduk could consist of a single row of beads, but in old times it often consisted of three rows. The beads were black probably because black never fades or changes. As the years passed more lustre was added to the beads.

The ordinary crude pattern of the pirduk was improved in the course of time. Later longish beads of gold were inserted between the black glass beads and a pendant was added. The earliest pendant was a round disk of silver. It was called thali. Later it was changed into a golden pendant. Finally the pendant was replaced by a gold medal bearing the picture of Our Lady. This ornament is still in use in some places. Elsewhere in South Canara the pirduk has now the form of a half-moon surmounted by a cross and studded with pearls or precious stones. It is worn on the chest on a string of pineapple fibres on which gold and black glass beads are strung alternately. Another form of the pendant consists of a cross studded with precious stones. To the top of the cross is attached the figure of a dove, symbol of the Holy Ghost. While the former pendant is called minin, the latter shape is called sorpoli. It is worn on a gold chain without glass beads. At present, the necklace is made of black beads, strung on a gold wire as either as a single chain or double chain with a connecting pendant.

Besides this main ornament a bride used to wear the following other ornaments:

1. On the neck: the kanti, a necklace of red coral beads and gold beads, between eight or ten coral beads a larger gold bead being inserted, hung down to the breast; the chakrasar consisting of a series of small round gold plates woven one into the other and forming a long chain; the fugodor, a necklace of large green stones mounted in gold.
2. On the ear: The most ancient ear ornament was called kap. It consisted of a round disk inserted into the lobe of the ear. It is still the typical ear ornament for married women in Canara. The weight of the kap extended the hole of the earlobes so much that the earlobes of old women hang down very low. In the course of time the kap fell into disuse among the younger generation and was replaced by a more elaborate ornament, the pespes, which is similar to the kap. In the present time the ear ornament most commonly worn is the so-called kudar (pl. kudkan), a round gold disk surrounded by precious stones. Another ear-ornament was the karap, inserted in the middle ear. A thin gold chain was attached to it which was fastened in the hair. On top of the ear the bride wore the mugud, a gold disk surrounded by pearls. The mugud too was attached to the hair by a golden chain.
3. Head ornaments: First was a gold pin struck through the bun of hair at the back of the head. For a bride it was a silver pin with a gold head, often ornamented. It was called kanto. The bride wore a pair of combs (dantoni). Two ordinary combs were purchased and the upper part of each one was plated with gold. They are worn in the hair on both sides of the head over the ears. Two more combs were worn by the bride, with a figure of a fish in gold inserted in each comb. These combs were therefore called masli (fish). In the centre of the forehead where the hair is parted, a gold chain was placed with a pendant. This chain was called bang. It was also used by the Hindu bride.
4. Arm ornaments: Every bride formerly wore three pairs of gold bangles; in addition she wore bangles of red glass. A bride must also wear one or several gold rings on her fingers.

These were the traditional ornaments for a bride on her wedding day. The less sophisticated country brides still wear them though in the towns they have been replaced by modern jewellery. The modern tendency is to wear a lesser number of ornaments, but the few ornaments worn are more valuable through the addition of precious stones and through a more refined workmanship. A widow had to wear a black sari all her life, and was not allowed to wear ornaments.