So I took up a lifestyle choice few months ago and totally fell in love with it. I switched my daily wear from Western to Indian. It was that simple, which completely transformed my personality and confidence.
But first, what exactly is a Kurta Pajama? 
A Muslim girl in India wearing pajamas and kurti (lithograph from Emily Eden's Portraits of the Princes and People of India, 1844)
And not just Kurta Pajama, India has a long history of vivid traditional clothing. This post tries to promote them all with the same ideology discussed below.
A kurta (Hindi: कुर्ता) is an upper garment for men and women, originating in the Indian subcontinent, with regional variations of form.
Pajamas or pyjamas, often shortened to PJs, jimmies, jimjams, can refer to several related types of clothing originating from the Indian subcontinent. Pajamas are loose-fitting garments for both daywear and nightwear, derived from traditional pajamas and involving variations of style and material. (Wikipedia) And not just Kurta Pajama, India has a long history of vivid traditional clothing. This post tries to promote them all with the same ideology discussed below. 
Me after climbing up to this cliff in Goreme, Turkey. In a Kurta Pj of course!
...My heart sinks to see this “modern” generation loosing it’s sight of the Golden India and it's culture that it used to be.
Since past several months I have been wearing Kurta Pajama on my travels, parties, clubs and office. Everywhere, you can imagine being. After months into this amazing clothing transformation this is what I discovered:
In today’s modern and fast moving India, my heart sinks to see this “modern” generation loosing it’s sight of the Golden India and it's culture that it used to be. I see college students say they can’t properly read or write Hindi. The majority is fairly less but with a rise of English culture soaring in through films and media, the future does not seem bright until we the “modern” Indians change.
Before the beautiful culture fades away, I am doing my part to keep it alive and you will too once you read these 7 benefits of wearing a Kurta Pajam everyday. First things first. When it comes to clothing, I am sure everyone loves comfort. As they say: Style is Comfort. Comfortable
If you take a glance at a Kurta Pajama you can already see how comfy it looks, because... it is. It’s so comfortable I can go to sleep and still feel I am wearing nothing. (Trust me I have done that often, because it’s just so comfortable) I have backpacked dozens of places nationally and abroad and Kurta Pajama has transformed my definition for “Travel Clothes”. I love it and you can see how much.
Wearing a certain kind of clothing affects our cognition in its early stages, but when we look good we feel more in control... Dressing Your Brain
We might not realise this but we are always dressing up our brain more than our bodies. Putting on a suit doesn't just change how you look, it can change the way you perceive the world and make you think more broadly (MACDONALD, 2015). Wearing a certain kind of clothing affects our cognition in its early stages, but when we look good, we feel more in control, and this sense of power has been linked to an increase in abstract thought (MACDONALD, 2015). It is very evident that Kurta Pajama obviously makes you look a lot smarter than a saggy t-shirt and sweat pants. So lets wear it everyday and feel the subconscious super powers.
You don’t just get a fabric stitched to your fit, you stitch your personality with it. Customisable
The process of getting a Kurta Pajama stitched from starch, makes you get involved in its making. This process makes your clothes define you as an individual and creates a unique bond with your clothes and yourself. You don’t just get a fabric stitched to your fit, you stitch your personality with it. It’s almost like getting a tattoo that you designed yourself according to your taste and needs.
Affordable
Getting your own fabric and then getting it tailor made for everyday wear will be the cheapest and the coolest piece of clothing you will ever find in India. This Kurta Pajama that you see below was bought and stitched from scratch for just ₹ 1000 that’s like £11. I don’t think you can get a custom jeans and shirt for £11 and still look classy af!
The co-incidental color coordination at Pammukale, Turkey.
Durable
The fabric and dyes used in most of these Indian clothes is pretty decent. Even after dozens of wash and being sun dried in harsh summer, almost none of my Kurtas have lost a single shade in them or have got torn apart, unless the fabric was too thin or fragile.
Formal and Informal
Connecting back to the custom abilities of a Kurta Pajama, you can always give the same fabric a formal look by adding cufflinks and collars or leave it casual and informal by adding round colors and open sleeve ends.
Saves Time
You might think wearing Kurta Pajama everyday is bizarre. Well I can say the same for wearing Jeans and T shirt every day. Infact a Kurta Pajama is almost always paired up which saves a ton lot of time and energy in “deciding what to wear?” We have famous examples of people who wear same outfits everyday which helps channelize there time in more significant decision making.
Take The Culture for your kids to see
Finally, as part of our India culture, don’t you want your kids to see the beautiful culture we live in? I get asked upon and looked upon my everyday Kurta. And I always wonder why? when I am in my own F’**in country? I definitely don’t want the same reaction for my kids, so I try to sober out people now while I still can. Making those who raise eyebrows, rethink their position again. Because a country with no culture is a country with no soul.
Exploring Hagia Sophia, Istanbul, Turkey.
With fellow backpackers from Germany. Exploring The Blue Mosque.
When I wore kurta pajama everyday during my backpacking trip to Turkey, I felt a strong connection with my culture, my country and my self as an India. For me that’s the closest I have felt to “Proud to be an Indian” at a more personal level, have you?
While wandering in Turkey with my loud and clear Indian self was the best feeling ever. People smiled, looked twice and asked me if I was Indian, Arabic or Italian! Italian?? Some even stopped me, befriended me and took selfies. It was an informative meeting for those abroad while they met me. All because I was my country and my culture all in all. I believe this attitude of Indians has a lot to do with the dress codes set down by colonial forces while they were around.... Anyone not wearing a suit was viewed as less important...
I still know people who find this funny, probably because they are not proud of their nationality and try to avoid being identified as an India. I just feel how sad and disgraceful such people can be. But its not there fault and this Quora question will answer why? Because with so many added benefits, why is Kurta Pajama still not our everyday attire?
I found this interesting question during my research to understand just why? And the question on this Quora post explains it all: Why don't Indian men wear kurta pajamas or other traditional garments in daily life? I felt frowned upon while wearing my kurta pajama in posh areas of Delhi. When I traveled to Dubai, I noticed that Arabs wear their dishdasha & keffiyeh with pride.
“Places like India, wearing a full suit is just a few degrees away from self-imposed torture. The humidity levels of the tropics ups the discomfort levels by several notches. And yet we go for ‘corporate wear’, whether we like it or not.
I believe this attitude of Indians has a lot to do with the dress codes set down by colonial forces while they were around. If you see the attires of people back in the days, you’d see everyone in what were considered to be respectable clothes in their region.” When the White Man descended on our lands wearing trousers and ruffled shirts and waistcoats and hats, people began to look up to them as sahibs…people worthy of respect and reverence. Anyone not wearing a suit was viewed as less important. This mental attitude has become a part of the mental make-up of almost all societies the world over. Arabs wear their traditional costumes when they are in societies that accept it. When they move outside to foreign lands, they too wear formal wear for official meetings and smart casuals at other times. Indians do the same thing in a much smaller circle, though. (Raakhee V. Menon, 2016). You can read the entire thread here.
New Year is around the corner and maybe we can make a new year resolution of changing any of our habits for the good of others if not ourselves. Starting from our everyday outfits?
And here is me again in a Kurta Pajama at my very official Christmas House Party! Until next time.... Happy Holidays.
So, in the end it all comes down to our personal choices and I choose to stay in touch with my roots and take it forward for others to see, while doing everything that I would do regardless. If I can, you can too.
Thank you for reading. Please leave your thoughts in the comments below.
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AuthorChris Rathore aka @traveller.chris on Instagram Categories
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