Jaipur gears up for Navratri with filmi ghaghra

As city youngsters get ready for dandiya nights, TOI did a quick survey of the market to see what’s trending. From Bollywood-style chaniya-choli to colourful dandiya sticks and embroidered potli bags, here’s a list of the most popular Navratri accessories.
Gujarati lehengas – the heavier the better
Clothing stores are flooded with new dresses and accessories to meet the demands of the festive season, and Jaipurites are looking for traditional wear with a twist.Backless cholis are topping the chart this year as well. Says Mohita Arora, a college student, “I generally don’t wear traditional attire like sari or lehenga, but I’ve seen actresses look so hot in those Gujarati lehengas that I also want to try. I have got a special lehenga designed by myself just for Navratri.”
Though the traditional lehengas are quite heavy, city girls don’t want to compromise on that either. “These lehengas are very costly and heavy, but girls especially ask for those ones. Available in the range of `1,800 to ` 2,500, they’re very popular,” says Ram Ratan Patwari, a shop owner in Janta Colony, who brings these clothes from Ahmedabad, Surat and Baroda. For men, there are fewer choices. Angrakha teamed up with a dhoti or a kurta with chudidar pyjama are the most popular choices. Embroidered jackets and stylish topis are also available for the men who want to go all out for dandiya nights. For the ladies, the perfect accessory to carry this Navratri is an embroidered potli bag.
One dress is never enough
Chaniya-cholis with mirror work, bead work and typical Gujarati embroidery are always in vogue, and available in the range of `1,000 to `3,000. Designer lehengas can go up to `20,000, depending on the choice of the customer. But one dress is just not enough for Jaipurites. People demand for five to seven dresses for dandiya nights. “Women, especially young girls, order as many as nine ensembles in advance to look different each night. They don’t want to repeat a single dress. For those who want an Indo-western look, we suggest they team up their gota-patti lehengas with spaghetti tops,” says designer Hemant Ambwani.
There’s designer dandiya, too
The preparations are incomplete without buying dandiya sticks. Available in the range of `50 to `300, dandiya sticks, too, have gone designer. Now there are oxidised, metallic, acrylic and even gotta-patti dandiya sticks available in the market. They are much lighter in weight and can look much more attractive than the regular wooden ones.