The Pheran and Tarangah: the traditional dress of Kashmiri Pandit women is steeped in history, symbolism, and identity for centuries. The dress itself is rarely if ever observed today, except at rituals and worn by our aged people. Still, it's the most prominent signifier of Kashmiri Pandit culture, it is an ancient dress as a bearer of spirituality, aesthetics, and existence, but also has a history of decline and displacement. The French historian Bernier François noted that Akbar, force the Kashmiris to wear Pheran and Kangris, to subdue their martial spirit, as the Kashmiris resisted the Mughal armies with an unprecedented level of bravery.
Despite this forced imposition, the dress soon became a part of Kashmiri identity, worn widely among men and women. Over the centuries, other cultural elements of the sari as they entered Kashmiri society, the Pheran and the Tarangah progressively receded into the social background with the clothing and factors of society for cultural connection remaining mostly with older women and ceremonial occasions. The most unfortunate decline fell away after the forced exile of the Kashmiri Pandits in 1990 and uprooted people to the hot plains of India through resettlement and cultural expression. The heavy woolen attire that physically suited the cooler climate of the valley was impractical in exile and the connection to the traditional dress diminished to a rare type of occasion and memories. The dress is fundamentally a story about three parts: the Tarangah, the crescent scarf draped over the head, body covering of the Pheran, and the waist belt of the Laungh worn around the waist. Each seems to carry its own story as far as techniques, crafts and stories of meaning that engaged in distinct stories.
(Photo Source: Internet)
The Tarangah is arguably the most intricate and symbolic component. It is signed on the head and is composed of a series of layers of deliberately designed components. At the bottom is the Kalpush, a round headpiece made of red-colored raffal or red pashmina, lined with brocade cloth, which is known as Talchuk, for shaping. The Kalpush rests securely on the head, covering all the hair except the braid, and is wrapped by starched white cloth, approximately two meters long, that features small delicate transparent ribbons called Zitin or Sheesh Lath affixed to it. Zitin lath, which sparkled and shinned, was viewed as astonishing and hence saved for brides, or to women from the most privileged community. Sheesh Lath, made of cellulose material, was more common, and simply did not have the same value. These ribbons were pinned to the white cloth with steel pins called Krehne Phale Secheney, which had black tops, the purpose of which was to hold the pin on the cloth and ward off bad omen.
The Tarangah, an elaborate Islamic headgear with a unique style and shape, is adorned with a square-shaped piece of cloth called Zooj, embroidered with brocade thread or gold thread, typically made of tabby silk or fine net. The Zooj is of considerable size, usually rectangular, and as a place for the Pouech - Padma - a long muslin cloth, usually twisted serpent-, shape to wrap around and secured to the head. When the Pouech is added to the Zooj, the Tarangah is complete, flaunting the ultimate masterpiece. When worn, the Tarangah scenes the illustriousness and its extravagance as the makers during the proudly celebrates the occasion. Pandit woman portrays the Tarangah in Kashmir on the day of a Devgoan (The sacred ceremony in preparation for marriage to God), moves her from myria of realities to the rich meaning and bearing of a sacred bruise. Hence, the whole body imagery through the symbolic adornments the Tarangah is interlinked and organized to scripted sacred meanings; the Kalpush section of the Tarangah represents the Shri Chakra of the Goddess Sharika, the white Zooj and Tarangah symbolize beauty, happiness, and peace. The Sheesh Lath section of the Tarangah relates to the relationship with and protocol prescribed by Sheesh Nag, the Pouech section relates to Vasuk Nag and the serpent manifestations of Mata Kheer Bhawani. The Tarangah is accessible to popular understanding through the black-topped pins which secured the Tarangah to the head; the black-topped tip registration was easily interpreted and an implies a protective charm. Therefore the Tarangah should not just be construed as beautiful attire, the Tarangah as a whole, represents Shivaah and Shakti, embodies blessings of Shiva upon the tactile being of a woman who wears it.
The second part of the Kashmiri daily clothing system, the Pheran, is a long loose gown that covers the body from shoulders to ankles. Fashioned in a variety of colors depending on season or status and almost rectangle in shape the Pheran is made with loose sleeves called Nur. To protect the body from the intense heat of the kangri, the traditional earthen fire pot worn under the cloak, the basic "inner garment," called Pooch, is plain cotton or khaddar. The Pheran is embellished for styles for women: a thick red ribbon named Dhur stitched around the collar, edges of the Pheran and the pocket, and embellishment for the Nur sleeves is also provided additional fabrics made from a brocade ribbons called Nervar. The Nervar ribbon has also additional meaning. For married women it was a requirement as support but gave grace and color also as mentioned, and often for women who are widows at the appropriate time in their lives the Nervar was removed from the sleeve area. This process embodies a life of suffering, although the process going on in life from the time of married sewing with the Nervar, to removing the Nervar symbolizing the role of widow. Other small functions were added to the Pheran, such as a pocket on the right side outfit, below the thigh portion of the Pheran's body. The loose nature of the Pheran brought comfort and plus warmth!
The third and last component of this dress is the Laungh, or waist belt, which was about one meter wide and 2.5 meters long, to secure the Pheran in place, while allowing movement. Once folded and fastened around the waist, the Laungh permitted women to move and carry out their daily activities unfettered. Just like the Pheran, the Laungh was different by fabric and design according to the family's social class, but more than just functional, it added an incredible finishing touch of elegance and definition to the dress.
Despite the fact that the Tarangah, Pheran, and Laungh formed what should but could be called a dress, it is one that not only held elegance but encompassed meanings. Each component was laden with spiritual meanings from Kashmir's religious practices, when these three components are worn together form an essential cultural statement, which merged beauty and symbolism. Each element eventually evoked the union of Shiva and Shakti, the sacred serpents, and divine blessings of all the deities of Kashmiri Pandit culture. It represented a significant sense of sacred energy of beauty and good fortune, especially when worn during curtail wedding rituals and ceremonies, transforming the bride into living creatures of divine beauty and energy itself.
Despite this great significance, however, the traditional dress is now on the verge of disappearing. The reasons are several including changing lifestyles, new fashion, displacement, and, most importantly, geography. In the warm, wet climate of the Indian plains, where Kashmiri Pandits live in exile, the durable fabric and layered features of the garments are unsuitable. The younger generations have tended to grow up seeing the saris, salwar kameez, and now western dress while the Pheran and Tarangah exist only as relics, reminisced through dusty photographs, stories of old weddings, or through rare performance in a cultural festival.
This loss hurts particularly deeply because clothing in Kashmir is not simply about covering the body, but about faith, identity, and art. Pheran and Tarangah were not clothing; they were living metaphors of Kashmiri Pandit cosmology that tied the person wearing them to gods, myths and protective symbols. While the culture and climate of Kashmir nurtured these traditions for generations, exile has threatened them with near oblivion. The sight of a full Tarangah seen by an audience of today at a wedding ceremony seems rare and melancholic, a reflection of a place left behind and a way of life interrupted.
But cultural memory is a resilient thing. The symbolism in the garments has been narrated in the stories, and in the gatherings of the community, and in writings, so that the meaning does not disappear forever, even if the wearing is gone. For many Kashmiri Pandits, remembering the Pheran and Tarangah are ways in which to hold on to identity while in exile, a form of resistance while being quietly disassociated from relationships to original culture. The harmony of Shiva and Shakti that can be embodied by a Tarangah, can be found in resilience within the community.
The Pheran and Tarangah are enduring representations of Kashmiri Pandit culture, a testament to the craftsmanship, faith, and pride of a people who have endured thousands of years of disruption. Clothes are not just pieces of cloth sewn together; they embody memory, identity, and meaning. While their functional use has waned in contemporary society, their place in cultural memory is assured, carrying forth the blessings, beauty, and resilience of a proud heritage. It is also true that new generation KP ladies wear this tradition attire on some auspicious occasions and it is really good to see them wearing Pheran and Tarangah so as to revive this old tradition.
(Writer: Vivek Koul, Owner of this blogger site)
Link to older posts:
https://vivekkoulinsights.blogspot.com/2025/01/shivoham-potent-and-powerful-mantra-for.html
https://vivekkoulinsights.blogspot.com/2025/01/baba-dhansar-is-revered-hindu-shrine.html
Wonderful
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