Farshi Pajama

Farshi Pajama is a dress that was worn in Muslim courts of Oudh between late 17th and early 20th century as well as by Muslim ladies from privileged classes of Uttar Pradesh (formerly United Provinces of Agra and Oudh in North India.) Modeled after the flowing ball gowns worn by British women, the complete outfit consists of three basic parts - The Kurta or a long shirt, the dupatta or the long stole which is an essential piece of cloth in traditional indian wear covering the head and bossom, and the third and most important, the farshi pajama, which is a flowing two legged skirt held by drawstrings. It falls straight to the ankles from where it starts flaring flowing copiously onto the floor. The farshi pajama, in this era is often called farshi gharara, a term not used before mid 20th century and is considered an incorrect twist. The confusion is said to be the Farshi Pajama's similarity with the Gharara.

Farshi means anything that is associated with the 'farsh' or floor (for example farshi baithak which is associated with sitting on the floor). When combined with the word Pajama, the term evolves to mean a Pajama-like dress that falls generously on the floor, and trails as one walks, however in reality, during walking, the dress is correctly held in such a way, that the wearer or maid carefully folds the flaring trail and holds in in her left hand keeping the right one free, it hardly trails. Hence the large quantity (historically, 9-15 yards) of expensive cloth, embroidered using the art of goldwork (embroidery) and sterling silver wire threads (Karchob/Zari/Zardozi etc), used to make a farshi pajama mainly suggests grandeur and extravagance.

Different eras brought changes to the fashion and cuts of the dress. These variations were also dependent from one princely state's court to another.

Modified, smaller-length versions are still, but rarely, worn by women in weddings in India and Pakistan.

Movies such as Umrao Jaan (1981) and Shatranj Ke Khiladi (1977) that depict Muslim culture of 19th century Lucknow show noblewomen wearing farshi pajamas.

See Begum Rifat Zamani, Queen of Rampur wearing a Farshi Pajama, holding it up while walking: http://www.india-seminar.com/2008/585/585_ritu_5.jpg

References

http://www.india-seminar.com/2008/585/585_ritu_kumar.htm