Elegant and ethnic

Punjabi juttis are delicately embroided with colourful threads and beads,
says Gagan K. Teja

Several craftsmen are involved in the art of making Punjabi juttis Tribune photo: Rajesh Sachar

Punjabi jutti needs no introduction. Right from the time of maharajas to the 21st century, it continues to be the top choice of women, especially Punjabi women, the world over.`A0Name any festival, and there is ample variety available to suit the occasion.

Despite tough competition from dozens of footwear brands, there has been no decline in the popularity of this particular item, mainly because of the comfort it offers. The Punjabi jutti has undergone a lot of changes to suit the taste of buyers. For daily wear, plain juttis sell like hot cakes, and for a more formal occasion, people prefer buying ones that are more vibrant and flashy.

Juttis usually fall in the slip-on style, and are made of fine leather, delicately embroided with colourful threads and beads. When worn in accordance with the dress, they provide an ethnic look and certainly enhance your personality. These days young girls wear Punjabi juttis with different dresses — from suits to jeans and skirts — to get a chic look. Moreover, when it comes to choosing footwear with kurta-pyjamas or sherwanis, these items are the favourite of men as well.

Cost-effectiveness is another reason for this footwear’s increasing popularity. The juttis are available in a wide variety, ranging from Rs 150 onwards, which is in the reach of everyone. But sometimes people place orders to get them specially made to suit certain occasions, and the prices then go up to thousands of rupees. `A0`A0

Keeping in view the increasing demand of juttis by youngsters, hundreds of craftsmen are involved in the art of making juttis in many states of India, primarily Punjab and Rajasthan. In Punjab, Malout, Muktsar and Patiala are the main centres for the manufacturing of this footwear.

Babbu, a jutti maker and seller, informs that there is no end to the demand for these items, due to which the craftsmen remain busy in this trade throughout the year. "The sales in Punjab are good, but we also manufacture a large number of pieces to be sold in other countries as well. We make them in all colours. Moreover, they are very cheap as compared to branded footwear, which is another reason why women prefer them," he adds.

Twentyfour-year-old Mandeep Kaur, who has come to Patiala from Canada for her cousin's reception, says she has got a special bridal jutti for Rs 4,000 for her wedding that is scheduled for November this year. "I am getting married in Canada and have bought my lehenga and jutti from Patiala in advance. My would-be husband and I are almost the same height; so wearing heals would make me look taller. Moreover, I feel that nothing looks more graceful than a jutti with a bridal wear. Embroided with golden and red threads, it is just perfect for my dress. Another reason why I prefer Punjabi juttis is that you can easily slip them on and take them off time and again during wedding ceremonies," she adds.

Another NRI, Navneet Kaur, purchases at least eight to 10 pairs whenever she comes to India. "We all wear juttis during festivals because they best suit with our Indian outfits, especially with Patiala salwars. Moreover, many of my English friends admire them and love to wear them. Therefore, I often buy juttis for them, too. They give us a unique and cultural look," adds Navneet.

"Recently, the trend of providing pieces of cloth from their shirt pieces in order to get juttis made on order has increased amongst women. They do not just want the same colour but exactly the same pattern on their footwear, so that it can gel with their dress completely," adds Parma, who works in a shop at Topkhana Morh.