Langa choli

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a bridal design of a Lenga and Choli

Lahenga or Langa and choli are a traditional Indian dress of women of North India. The Langa is worn below waistline and extends to the toe, upper part of the body is covered with a choli. In South India, it is known as Langa. In Punjabi, it's known as a "lehnga". It is also sometimes referred to as "Ghagra choli"


A ghagra or lenga is a pleated skirt and is worn with a long or short, stitched and fitted blouse (the choli). The ghagra is secured at the waist and leaves the back and midriff bare. Ghagra choli is also worn with a dupatta, a 2.5 meters of light transparent material usually georgette. The dupatta is worn like a scarf or veil.

In modern times ghagra choli or lehenga choli are exotic Indian clothing with embroidery using stones, kundan, zari, crystals, kori, resham, mirrors, sequins and some times real gold threads. Some designers use intricate brocade, tanchoi and heavy satins even with real gold and silver embroidery, studded with precious stones. Like the ghagra choli the dupatta also has embroidery.

The Ghagra choli or Lehenga choli is one of the ancient clothing of the Indian sub-continent and is preferred as bridal clothing for most parts. However, in some parts of India, brides wear different kinds of clothes ornaments and adornments.

a designer Lenga and Choli

A wedding is an auspicious occasion when the attire demands keen attention. During a modern wedding, the brides have a wide variety of bridal dresses to pick and choose from. Ghagra Choli is the most preferred one. The rich colors used for bridal ghagra choli are symbolic of festivity / fertility. Metallic yarn is traditionally used on these garments. During the actual wedding ceremony, conducted in front of the fire, the motifs and the colors of the ensemble glow. In Northern India the most preferred bridal wear is the ghagra choli (designer bridal wear).

In Maharashtra brides wear a Paithani sari, terrific Lehnga and shawl with its gold brocade border woven intricately with birds, flowers and geometrical patterns. Other woven saris from this region, such as Chanderis, Indoris, Maheshwaris also form part of the trousseau with yellows, orange and greens being the dominant colors.

The ensemble of the Muslim bride from Hydria is the zari-encrusted blouse with a skirt. The veil is edged with gold tassels and embroidered all over. Tissues and brocades are used in abundance.

The Rajasthanis use chunri to cover the bridal bed on which the grooms sit for the tilak ceremony after the marriage and is later used as a veil by the bride.

Wearing of bridal ghagra choli is a fashion with lasting values and rich craftsmanship.

It is so much in fashion that in addition to wedding, it is worn even at beauty pageant contests at national as well as international level and received "best costume award". Many of the top designers, like Ritu Kumar, are also engaged in bridal lehenga choli designing whose creations were worn by Aishwarya Rai, Sushmita Sen, Lara Dutta, Priyanka Chopra and many others and receive much adornments. Indian wedding collections at different sources of Indian clothing includes bridal lehengas, wedding lehengas and wedding sarees, fashionable lehenga, fine lehenga.

See also