Another of a very beautiful Indian outfit, the Chaniya Choli is a traditional wear used by females. It is more to be seen during festivals, weddings, religious rituals etc. Originally, this garment is from Gujarat, India. Out of the term Chaniya Choli, Chaniya refers to a long skirt which is mostly till the ankle, but sometimes can be a little shorter also. And the Choli is the top above; this dress is completed after Odhni, a stole like piece of cloth is draped properly.
The Chaniya Choli meant to be worn during a special occasion is decorated with different items. There can be the cotton Chaniya Choli decorated with shells or tiny mirrors, the silk or chiffon decorated with glittering dots, laces etc. It actually gets difficult to choose one Chaniya Choli from the variety it has to offer.
The skirt will always have a lot of embroidery, but the Choli sometimes has some embroidery on the sleeves and this is covered up by the Odhni which is fully embroidered to give a brilliant effect! Or there is the Chaniya Choli which may have more work on the skirt and the top but less on the Odhni; in this case the Odhni is just hung on the shoulders.
Even today, it remains the clothing for ladies belonging to certain communities from rural Gujarat, Rajasthan. While for the rest of India, Chaniya Choli is preferred during festivals like Navratri. In Metros like Mumbai during Navratri (festival where men and women dance with sticks till night) girls wear eye-catching Chaniya Cholis. This is the time when one can see such large variations in Chaniya Cholis one better than the other.