Question

Explain in what different ways did Indians react to western style clothing that came into India in the 19th century.

Answer 1

When western style clothing came into India in the 19th century, Indians reacted In three different ways:
(i) Many men got attracted to western style clothing and began to wear It. However, the wealthy Parsis were among the first to adapt it. Baggy trousers and the phenta i.e., hat were added to long collarless coats, with boots and a walking stick to complete the look of the gentlemen. To some, western clothes became a sign of modernity and progress.
(ii)Many Dalit converts to Christianity found western style clothing as liberating.
(iii) There were others who were convinced that western culture would lead to a loss of traditional cultural Identity. They viewed western style clothes as a sign of the world turning upside down.
(iv)Some men adopted western clothing without giving up their Indian ones. They began stocking western style clothes for work outside the home and changed into more comfortable Indian clothes at home.
(v) Still, others attempted to combine western and Indian forms of dressing.