Christian Wearing
About 2.5% of India's population are Christians. The major
centers of Christianity in India are Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Goa, Manipur and
Mizoram. There is also a big community of Christians in Mumbai.
Christian women in India wear all kinds of dress starting from the
traditional dress of India-saree and salwar kameez to western outfits like
skits and shirts, pants, trousers, long frocks. Christian brides usually
attire a white coloured bridal wedding gown. The entire wardrobe is white
consisting of gloves, long full-length classic gown, veil and headdress.
This wearing of white gown is common in Goa. In Manipur, Mizoram, on the
wedding day, the christian ladies wear their traditional dress--Phanek and
Puan. But in South India, Christians wore often sarees like their Hindu
counterparts and some of them even wear bangles and apply the Hindu caste
mark, Kum Kum or tilaka on their foreheads. The wearing of the Mangalsutra
necklace among Protestant Christian women is obligatory after marriage, as
it is among the Hindus.