NASIR YOUSUFI
SRINAGAR: Surfing between the different portals on her Smartphone, a young university student is apparently going through an intense thought process. Twenty three year old Sadiya Jan from Srinagar is in a fix whether to visit her tailor for winter apparel or order it online from a portal. After a long thought, She clicks the Buy button on one of the local e-commerce site selling ‘Pheran’, the popular winter apparel in Kashmir.
“I have to attend an engagement function of my cous next week. Keeping the rush of customers for ongoing winters in mind, getting the Pheran stitched from the tailor in time seems impractical. So I decided to go for an online order, as the collection on these portals is worth to buy ”, says Sadiya who is hopeful to get her order within a few days from the online vendor.
A long loose gown made from woolen cloth, Pheran is traditionally a unisex garment worn by both men and wom-en during the winters in Kashmir. Believed to have been derived from the Persian word ‘perahan’ equivalent to shirt in meaning. Essentially a survival tactics from inclement weather conditions in the valley, It is thought that the most used and cherished winter garment of Kashmir came to valley through the Persian travelers who invented the garment to get protection from cold. One more popular belief is that the Mughal emperor Akbar introduced the Pheran in the valley in the 15th century A.D.
Whatever the origin is, the cherished winter garment has come a long way since its inception in the valley. From old aged people to youth and children, during winters, the loose gown is a part of everyone’s dress in the valley. Pheran is not only the part of Kashmiri culture, over the years, the garment has groomed into a trendy wear becom-ing a part of fashion and modern life. Traditionally a dress used at home only, the winter garment has gradually carved it space in our home away life too. With new trendy and catchy designs hitting the market, the popularity of the Pheran is on a rise.
“Earlier one could see ,only the women folk wearing the apparel outside home. But now from teenagers to young girls, to spot a pheran in everyday life , stitched in latest design and color is a common trend ”, observes Dr Sham-shad, a sociologist from Srinagar. It is not only for the females, the pheran design used by the men folk has under-gone a transformation too. From body fit designs, Zip collars to big button pherans , markets are flooded with a varie-ty of Pheran designs for men too, adds Dr Shmashad.
With the increasing popularity of this special winter apparel, the Pheran has globally emerged as a symbol of Kashmiri culture and identity. A large number of students, workers and businessmen living outside the valley act as ambassadors of this cultural symbol to the world.
Politicians, local celebrities and Kashmir Diaspora in particular have been also instrumental in popularizing the Pheran. Kashmir politicians wearing Pheran in official meetings and during press briefs has helped in lending an official signature to Pheran. People living outside Kashmir in different parts of the country and world , proudly re-taining the winter ware as a part of their life style have popularized the winter garment globally. Local artists and models showcasing the prized Kashmiri Pheran also glamorize the Pheran. Last year a famous Kashmiri origin de-signer organized a ramp walk on the beaches of California with models flaunting different designs of embroidered Pheran.
The rising popularity of traditional garment linked with cultural identity of Kashmir has opened new market vis-tas for the people dealing with Pheran.
Mohammad Asif Malik, a young garment entrepreneur from HMT area in the outskirts of Srinagar has been mak-ing Pheran for last four years. He says that the sale of the winter garment has increased over the years. Making Pher-an for both men and women, 30 year old entrepreneur says that earlier he used to supply readymade Pheran to re-tailers and customers within the valley only. But this year, on the suggestion of a friend he started to showcase his products on a facebook page. Asif says, he has now scores of customers from outside the valley too.
Mohammad Asif is not alone, a female designer Shaista from south Kashmir’s Anatnag district has thousands of followers on her Instragram handle. She offers a home delivery of her specially designed pheran to customers. “In last two years , I have sold a good number of Pheran online. This season only, I have successfully delivered scores of Pheran outside the valley ”, Shaista says.
While cultural symbol of Kashmir, Pheran treads the path of global emergence, its market offline and online sees surge locally as well as globally.