multicoloured

Woman’s dress, thigma khos or thigma goncha India, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Ladakh-pa, end of 19th or beginning of 20th century Wool Purchased by Catherine Mangeot 70.2006.5.1

The design of such dresses formerly worn for marriages and celebrations, shows variations from one region to another. They are now hardly ever worn except for celebrations. For their preparation, narrow pieces of locally woven twill (2/2) called therma were used. What characterizes the shape of the dresses is the insertion of panels which are narrow enough in bias binding at the level of the waist which gives greater fullness scope to the skirt. The reserve, by knot tying, after dyeing, made patterns in the form of crosses and petals. A small stick perhaps placed on each of the branches so that the design is well marked. Depending on the width, two or three dye baths may be necessary. In the extended range of natural dyes, the most common are indigo, mulberry, madder or rhubarb.