The diversity of a place is reflected in the dressing of the locals and the people of Sikkim make sure they reflect it in the best possible way. They give great significance to their culture and traditions and abide by the principles set by their ancestors even today.
Different communities of people live in Sikkim and each community follows a different type of dressing. If you are thinking of flying to Sikkim and exploring the beautiful city, it is a good idea to know about their traditional costumes. In this article, we share with you the Traditional Dress of Sikkim.
Traditional Dresses of Sikkim
There are not one, but multiple traditional attires of Sikkim that you can try. Check out the dress of sikkim here.
Bakhu/Kho
Sikkim people, especially Bhutias wear a traditional dress called Bakhu. This is a unisex attire, which means it is worn by both men and women. It is a loose long garb tied to the neck and pulled tight with a waist belt. The young women these days are pairing it up with jeans which is a trend now.
Thokro-Dum
The Lepcha community of Sikkim wears a traditional outfit called Thokro-Dum. The breadmakers of Lepcha usually wear this outfit. The outfit resembles the karate outfit and has a white pajama and an embroidered overcoat. They complete the look by donning a cap called Shambo.
The shirt they wear underneath is called Yenthatse and a multicolored cloth called Dumpra is worn crossly across the shoulders and secured with pins. They also wear hats made of bamboo, leaves and straws.
Dumvum
Sikkim women wear traditional attire that looks like a saree. They call it Dumvum or Dumyam. They wear a long outfit paired with a loose blouse called Tago. They complete this traditional look by wearing a belt called Nyamrek and Taro.
They also wear a cap, usually made of white colour cloth. They usually use a scarf called Gorey to keep their hair in place.
The outfits the Sikkim mean and women wear signify where they belong to. While men wearing Thokro-Dum indicate their life in marshy land, the women wearing Dumvum attire prompt that they belong to dry-land.
The outfit worn by men is designed with a fabric that can roughly handle the all-day fieldwork while on the other hand women’s outfit is made of lighter, softer material.
Shuruval
The Nepalese community men living in Sikkim wear this outfit. A long garment is worn along with a trouser. The churidar is called Shuruval and the pyjama is known as Daura. A waistcoat is worn which is called Askot and a belt called Patuki is also worn.
Pharia
Nepalese women living in Sikkim wear Pharia as their traditional attire. It is a long and loose blouse tightened on four sides. They wrap their upper body with a piece of cloth and also use a shawl called Majetro.
These are the traditional dress of sikkim that are traditionally worn by the locals. When you visit Sikkim you can witness them directly and if you like, you can even wear them for fun.
