The Traditional attire of Sikkim

Sikkim, located below Mount Khangchendzonga consists of three main ethnic groups – the Lepchas, the Nepalese and the Bhutias.

The Lepchas are said to be the original inhabitants of Sikkim. The Lepcha women’s traditional attire is known as dumbon. It is a sari like wear which cover the body from shoulder to ankle. A long sleeved blouse known as togo and the head is covered by a scarf called gorey. The traditional garment of Lepcha men is thokro (a cotton sheet of multicoloured stripes) an outer garment , a white shirt known as togo and a pair of loose cotton pyjamas known as gyodo. Chambu-thuri a woolen cap is sometimes used.

The Nepalese started to settle down in Sikkim from the 19th century and now they are more than 60% in population. The Nepalese women’s traditional attire includes a full sleeved blouse, chaubandhi choli and a sari known as fariya. For extra covering a cloth called hembari is wrapped over the body. The traditional dress of Nepalese men consists of full sleeved shirt known as daura, a pair of tight fitting pyjamas known as suruwal, a waist coat known as ash-kot , and a cap with slanting top know as dhaka-topi.

The Bhutia another ethinc group and the men worn fo-kho – a full sleeved dress and is worn with a sash or kerak. A full sleeved shirt called yentatsi, a waist coat known as jaja and a cap called thurishambu and a pair of leather shoes shotsi is the complete dress of a Bhutia men. The Bhutia women’s traditional wear consists of a sleeve less brocaded outer garment, mo-kho, a woolen apron known as pangden, a silk sash around the waist and a silken blouse- hanju, a dome like cap known as tsering kengyap shambu and a pair of leather shoes sampo.

Video is shot from the Octava 2008, a cultural fest of North-eastern states held at Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala state, India.