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Woven tie, Shirts, Caps, Jackets, and Shawls. Photograph by Khush Kakkar (left page) Shambhavi Deo (right page, left image) and Chhavipriya (right page, right image)

The ethnic dress of the female folk of Himachal Pradesh, Pattu is spun out of pure wool. The harmonious blend of bright and light colors coupled with exquisite designs with fine silken thread or wool imparts an attractive look to the traditional attire of women. Worn over the dress, Pattu are hand woven by the local craftsmen of the region of Kullu and Manali.

The small scale cottage industries of Himachal Pradesh weave different kinds of Pattus:

1. The Plain Pattu is designed with horizontal and vertical straight lines while the borders are red in color.

2. The Chitra Pattu bears a beautiful blend of black and white colors as its base, coupled with a deep red border.

3. Daba is another kind of Pattu with a combination of black and white as its base, while the ends are beautifully designed with colored threads.

4. Ek Phulwala Pattu bears a harmonious blend of a variety of different colors with a single ethnic design on either side.

5. Teen Phulwala Pattu again represents a beautiful combination of bright colors with three different designs on either side.

How To Wear: To manage the thick and heavy pattu, the local women generally pin either sides of the traditional attire with a broach made up of silver, which is commonly referred to as the Bumni. To give a royal look, a beautiful chain of silver is worn to join both the broaches.

Local women wearing pattu in Kasol village photographed by Chhavipriya