Culture of Mangalorean Catholics - Costumes and Ornaments

Costumes and Ornaments

Mangalorean Catholic men used to wear long loose frilled white or black coats (similar to the Maratha loose coats) with buttons. The turbans were usually flattened like the Coorgi turbans (Urmal). The Urmal is a long white piece of cloth with a golden hem and is tied around the head like a turban. In modern times, this mode has changed. Only a few old people can be seen wearing this traditional dress on church going occasions.

Mangalorean Catholic men used to wear long loose frilled white or black coats (similar to the Maratha loose coats) with buttons. The turbans were usually flattened like the Coorgi turbans (Urmal). The Urmal is a long white piece of cloth with a golden hem and is tied around the head like a turban. In modern times, this mode has changed. Only a few old people can be seen wearing this traditional dress on church going occasions. Before marriage, women used to wear white skirts over which sarees and blouses were worn. The dress was a sign of her virginity and she wore it on the day of Ros ceremony Gold ornaments in those days were absent. Married women used to wear sarees the general way.

The Mangalorean Catholic bride's sari is known as an Sado. It is usually a red coloured Banarasi sari, which are made of finely woven silk and are decorated with elaborate engravings. The bride is also presented with a sari by her own people which is called Dharma sado, which was worn on other festive occasions. Some brides also wear a white sari during the nuptial blessing in church. Ornaments worn by the bride in ancient times included kanti, chakrasar, kap, karap, mugud, kanto, dantoni. Except datoni none of these ornaments are in use in the modern generation. Present-day brides wear a few gold ornaments, some rings on the fingers, earrings and at least two of the golden combs known as Dantoni that consisted of two ordinary combs and the upper part of each one was plate with gold, that are worn in the hair on both sides of the headover the ears. On the way to church she wears some white and red flowers stuck in the hair. In the centre of the forehead, a bang (gold chain) was placed with a pendant. A widow had to wear a black sari all her life, and was not allowed to wear ornaments.

Two more combs were worn by the bride, with a figure of a fish in gold inserted in each comb and were therefore called masli (fish). The hair is well combed and parted in the middle of the forehead. This fashion is strictly observed. A girl parting her hair in any other manner was regarded a loose girl. In the centre of the forehead where the hair is parted, a gold chain was placed with a pendant. This chain was called bang.None of these ornaments are worn on ordinary days. Every bride formerly wore three pairs of gold bangles; in addition she wore bangles of red glass.

The bridegroom's dress in the early times consisted of a short loincloth of hand-woven cloth (Dhoti), a shawl to cover his shoulders and a red handkerchief on the head (leis). The groom's dress was gradually improved. Later, his dress consisted of a white loincloth with a red and gold hem (todop), a shirt with gold buttons and a coat (kutav), a shawl on the shoulders and a towel on the head. The bridegroom wore a chakrasar (neck chain) around his neck. He wore a pair of sandals or at least a pair of socks. In modern times however, some westernised Mangalorean Catholic couples have a White wedding, were the bridegroom wears a suit, while the bride wears a white gown.