View source for Sherwani

{{short description|Attire of the Muslim Aristocracy of the Indian Sub-Continent}}
{{For|people with the surname|Sherwani (surname)}}
{{EngvarB|date=March 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2017}}
[[File:CHOWMAHALLA PALACE Royal painting.jpg|thumb|400px|{{center|The [[Mir Osman Ali Khan|last Nizam]] of [[Hyderabad state|Hyderabad]] wearing a sherwani; all the men accompanying him in the picture except the one in [[Jama (coat)|a cream coloured garment]] to his right wear sherwani of differing styles.}}]]
A '''sherwani'''  is a long-sleeved outer coat worn by men in South Asia. Like the Western [[frock coat]], it is fitted, with some waist suppression; it falls to below the knees and is buttoned down the front. It can be collarless, have a shirt-style collar, or a stand-up collar in the style of the [[Mandarin collar]].<ref name=tarlo-page-xii>{{citation|last=Tarlo|first=Emma|title=Clothing Matters: Dress and Identity in India|publisher =University of Chicago Press|year=1996|page=xii|isbn=9780226789767 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ByoTXhXCuyAC&pg=PR12|quote=Glossary: ''Sherwani'' Men's long coat, usually collarless}}</ref>
It evolved in the [[Indian subcontinent]] in the 19th-century as a result of the outer garment of the late [[Mughal Empire|Mughal]] period, the [[angarkha]]&mdash;itself evolved from the Persian cape, ''balaba''&mdash;being given a western style with a button-down front.<ref name=tarlo-page-47>{{citation|last=Tarlo|first=Emma|title=Clothing Matters: Dress and Identity in India|publisher =University of Chicago Press|year=1996|page=47|isbn=9780226789767 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ByoTXhXCuyAC&pg=PA47|quote=The historian Abdul Halim Sharar ... shows how the Persian cape (''balaba'', ''chapkan'') was gradually given a more Indian form (''angarkha''), and finally developed into the ''sherwani'' which had buttons down the front, following European fashion.  In the early stages wealthy men's robes were made from the luxury fabrics of muslin and silk and often embroidered.  But as they became more Europeanised, they became increasingly like the Englishman's frock coat, made from heavy dull material with less ornamentation and given tight sleeves.  Some men added a white shirt collar to the ''sherwani'' to complete the look.}}</ref>

== Etymology ==
The name of the attire is plausibly derived from [[Shirvan]] or Sherwan, a region of present-day [[Azerbaijan]], due to the folk dress of that area ([[Chokha]]) which resembles the sherwani. Therefore, the garment may also be a [[Mughal Empire|Mughalized]] derivative of the Caucasian dress due to the ethnocultural linkages of Turco-Persian affinity during the Middle Ages.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-12-22 |title=Sherwani {{!}} Meaning of Sherwani by Lexico |url=https://www.lexico.com/definition/sherwani |access-date=2022-10-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191222133437/https://www.lexico.com/definition/sherwani |archive-date=22 December 2019 }}</ref>   

==History==

[[File:Mohsinul Mulk, Syed Ahmad Khan and Syed Mahmood.jpg|thumb|200px|right| The founders of [[Aligarh movement]] wearing sherwani, [[Mohsin-ul-Mulk|Nawab Mohsin ul Mulk]] (left), [[Sir Syed Ahmed Khan]] (centre), Justice [[Syed Mahmood]] (right).]]

The sherwani originated in the early 19th century. It was originally associated with Muslim [[aristocracy]] during the period of British rule.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Jhala |first=Angma Dey |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WGpECgAAQBAJ&q=sherwani+british+frock+coat&pg=PA57 |title=Royal Patronage, Power and Aesthetics in Princely India |date=2015-10-06 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-1-317-31657-2 |language=en}}</ref> According to Emma Tarlo, the sherwani evolved from a Persian cape (balaba or [[Chapan|chapkan]]), which was gradually given a more Indian form (''[[angarkha]]''), and finally developed into the sherwani, with buttons down the front, following European fashion.<ref name="origin">{{Cite book |last=Tarlo |first=Emma |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8wyM5heEc9gC&q=Sherwani&pg=PA28 |title=Clothing Matters: Dress and Identity in India |date=1996 |publisher=Hurst |isbn=978-1-85065-176-5 |language=en}}</ref> It originated in 19th century [[British India]] as the European style court dress of regional [[Mughal Empire|Mughal]] nobles of northern India.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Jhala |first=Angma Dey |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WGpECgAAQBAJ&q=sherwani+british+frock+coat&pg=PA57 |title=Royal Patronage, Power and Aesthetics in Princely India |date=2015-10-06 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-1-317-31657-2 |language=en}}</ref> It appeared first at [[Lucknow]] in the 1820s.<ref name="auto1">{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=eioXAgAAQBAJ&q=sherwani+british+frock+coat&pg=PT305 |title=The Social Life of Things: Commodities in Cultural Perspective |date=29 January 1988 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=978-1-107-39297-7}}</ref> It was gradually adopted by the rest of the royalty and [[aristocracy]] of the Indian subcontinent, and later by the general population, as a more evolved form of occasional traditional attire.

==Description==
[[File:Nawabs of Bhawalpur in Sherwani..jpg|thumb|{{center|[[Nawab of Bahawalpur]] in various styles of sherwani}}|alt=|325x325px]]
The sherwani evolved from a Persian cape (balaba or [[Chapan|chapkan]]) and was developed into the sherwani, with buttons down the front, following European fashion.<ref name="origin" /><ref name="auto1"/>

==Use==
The sherwani is now famous as a [[wedding]] outfit, and it has always been popular as an outfit which can be worn on formal occasions.<ref  name =ONE>{{Cite web |title=The Traditional Dress: Sherwani |url=https://ricimelion.com/blogs/news/the-traditional-dress-sherwani |access-date=2021-07-27 |website=RiciMelion |language=en}}</ref> The sherwani signified the [[dignity]] and [[etiquette]] of the nobility, and it used to be the court dress of the nobles of [[Turkic peoples|Turkish]] and [[Persians|Persian origin]]. It is the national dress of [[Pakistan]] for men. A sherwani carries a regal feel.<ref>{{Cite web |title=What is a Sherwani? |url=http://www.bhangrakids.com/info/sherwani.shtml |access-date=2021-07-27 |website=www.bhangrakids.com}}</ref>

==India==
{{Main|Achkan}}
In India, the [[achkan]] has been generally worn, which is much shorter than the sherwani. The achkan was worn on formal occasions in winter, especially by those from [[Rajasthan]], [[Punjab, India|Punjab]], [[Delhi]], [[Jammu]], Uttar Pradesh and [[Hyderabad, Telangana|Hyderabad]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1432&context=tsaconf|title=Shifting Sands: Costume in Rajasthan}}</ref> The achkan is generally associated with the Hindus while the sherwani was historically and is still favored by Muslims.<ref>{{cite book | jstor=j.ctvh1dpz7.27 | chapter=From Cool to Un-cool to Re-cool | last1=Langkjær | first1=Michael A. | title=Global Textile Encounters | date=2014 | pages=227–236 | publisher=Oxbow Books | doi=10.2307/j.ctvh1dpz7.27 | isbn=978-1-78297-735-3 }}</ref> The two garments have significant similarities, though sherwanis typically are more flared at the hips and achkans are lengthier than simple sherwanis. The achkan later evolved into the [[Nehru Jacket]], which is now popular in India.<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|title=Nehru's style statement|url=http://www.tehelka.com/2016/01/nehrus-style-statement/}}</ref> In India, the achkan or sherwani is generally worn in combination with the ''[[churidar]]'' as the lower garment.<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FLIwDAAAQBAJ&q=achkan+with+churidar&pg=PA273 |title=Altogether book |publisher=Vikas Publishing House |isbn=978-93-259-7971-0}}</ref>
<gallery widths="200" heights="200">
File:Nehru Roerich.jpg|[[Jawaharlal Nehru]] (left) wearing an achkan with churidar.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Nehru's style statement |url=http://www.tehelka.com/2016/01/nehrus-style-statement/}}</ref>
File:Rajput Sherwani 2014-04-23 04-27.JPG|''[[Achkan]]'' sherwani and ''[[churidar]]'' (lower body) worn by [[Arvind Singh Mewar]] and his kin during a [[Hindu wedding]] in Rajasthan, India.
</gallery>

==Bangladesh==
[[File:Creative wedding photography.jpg|thumb|A Bangladeshi Bengali Muslim groom in traditional sherwani]]

In [[Bangladesh]], the sherwani is worn by people on formal occasions such as weddings and [[Muslim holidays|Eid]].

==Pakistan==
[[File:Jinnah speaking on 14 August 1947.jpg|thumb|200px|[[Jinnah]] (right) addressing the Constituent Assembly on 14 August 1947, wearing a sherwani.]]
After the independence of [[Pakistan]], [[Muhammad Ali Jinnah]] frequently wore the sherwani.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Ahmed |first=Akbar S. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YGdiqF6V8wYC&pg=PA99 |title=Jinnah, Pakistan and Islamic Identity: The Search for Saladin |date=1997 |publisher=Psychology Press |isbn=978-0-415-14966-2 |pages=99–}}</ref> Following him, most people and government officials in Pakistan such as the President and Prime Minister started to wear the formal black sherwani over the [[shalwar kameez]] on state occasions and national holidays.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|title=The Traditional Dress: Sherwani|url=https://ricimelion.com/blogs/news/the-traditional-dress-sherwani|access-date=2021-08-08|website=RiciMelion|language=en}}</ref> 

<gallery widths="200" heights="200">
File:Muhammad Ali Jinnah sitting on the Chair of Governer General wearing a Sherwani.jpg|[[Muhammad Ali Jinnah]], founder of [[Pakistan]], is sitting on the Chair of Governor General, sometimes referred as [[Pakistan|Pakistan's]] Throne, wearing Sherwani.
</gallery>

==Sri Lanka==
In Sri Lanka, Sherwani was generally worn as the formal uniform of [[Ceylonese Mudaliyars|Mudaliyar]]s and early [[Sri Lankan Tamils|Tamil]] legislators during the [[British Ceylon|British colonial period]].

==Modern sherwanis==
Sherwanis are mostly worn in Pakistan, India and Bangladesh.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Marcus|first=Lauren|date=2013-12-01|title=Sources: Encyclopedia of National Dress: Traditional Clothing Around the World|journal=Reference & User Services Quarterly|volume=53|issue=2|pages=197–198|doi=10.5860/rusq.53n2.197c|issn=1094-9054|doi-access=free}}</ref>{{rp|571}} These garments usually feature detailed embroidery or patterns. One major difference between sherwani-wearing habits is the choice of lower garment: while in India it is mainly worn with  [[churidar]]s or [[pyjama]]s, in Pakistan and Bangladesh it is mainly worn with a [[shalwar]].

Pakistani journalist, filmmaker and activist, [[Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy]] appeared in sherwani when she won the [[Academy Award for Best Documentary Short Film]] in 2012 and 2015.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Pakistan's Oscar triumph for acid attack film Saving Face |work=[[BBC News]] |publisher=Nosheen Abbas |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-17180530 |access-date=28 December 2014}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Oscar-winning Pakistani Filmmaker Inspired by Canada |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/entertainment/oscar-winning-pakistani-canadian-filmmaker-inspired-by-canada-1.1265068}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Clark |first=Alex |date=14 February 2016 |title=The case of Saba Qaiser and the film-maker determined to put an end to 'honour' killings |language=en-GB |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2016/feb/14/sharmeen-obaid-chinoy-interview-saba-qaiser-honour-killing-documentary-girl-river-oscar-nomination |access-date=18 February 2016 |issn=0261-3077}}</ref><ref name="dawn.com">{{Cite web |date=24 January 2012 |title=Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy is Pakistan's First Oscar Nominee |url=http://www.dawn.com/2012/01/24/sharmeen-obaid-chinoy-is-pakistan%E2%80%99s-first-oscar-nominee.html |access-date=24 January 2011}}</ref><ref name="cbc.ca">{{Cite web |title=Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy fights to end honour killings with her film A Girl in the River |url=http://www.cbc.ca/radio/thecurrent/the-current-for-february-12-2016-1.3445325/sharmeen-obaid-chinoy-fights-to-end-honour-killings-with-her-film-a-girl-in-the-river-1.3445369 |access-date=18 February 2016 |website=www.cbc.ca}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Achkan]]
* [[Angarkha]]
* [[Chokha]]
* [[Coat]]
* [[Frock coat]]
* [[Jama (coat)]]
* [[Jodhpuri]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Commons category| Sherwani}}

{{Pakistani clothing}}
{{Clothing in South Asia}}
{{Folk costume}}

[[Category:Bangladeshi clothing]]
[[Category:Pakistani clothing]]
[[Category:Muhajir culture]]
[[Category:Wedding clothing]]
[[Category:Marriage in Pakistan]]
[[Category:Coats (clothing)]]
[[Category:Indian wedding clothing]]