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Ethnicity is fashion apparel’s latest buzzword. Regional dresses of Himachal — whether dohru of Kulu-Manali, rejta of Kotkhai or ghagra of Gaddis, all worn and wrapped in woollen shawls and crowned with topis or dhatus (scarves) — are attracting global admiration. Undeniably, Himachal has been bestowed with picturesque natural charm. Over centuries, this beauty has permeated into the artistic consciousness of paharis, which finds reflection in women’s attire, a perfect blend of aesthetic appeal and utility, apart from revealing its wearers’ culture.
Strolling on Shimla’s Mall, one often finds pahari women in an unusual and artistic dress, that is akin to a Victorian gown. It is unique rejta, hill women’s dress code, popular in Himachal’s Kotgarh, India’s apple heartland. Rejta is to Kotgarh, what dohru (woollen sari tied by silver pins called bhoomni) is to Kulu-Manali. Visit Kotgarh, once Asia’s richest village, 82 km beyond Shimla. Just see rejta-clad fair and apple-cheeked paharans bent under apple-laden kiltas (conical baskets) on their backs. Strangely, rejta is not Himachali in origin. It has been traced to a European connection, explaining its almost Victorian look. Probably foreign Christian missionaries, maybe British, not Moravians, who often frequented the nearby old Hindustan-Tibet Road, introduced rejta. However, prominent locals of Kotgarh opine that rejta owes its origin to famed American Stokes, who ushered in Himachal’s Pink Revolution. Originally, it was two-piece apparel — a skirt and a blouse. But later rejta modified into a one-piece garment to adapt to Indian tradition that requires a woman to cover herself, as well as climatic conditions (protection from cold weather). Worn over kameez-salwar/churidar, it has a complete cover — all from neck to ankle. Unlike woven dohru of the Kulu-Manali belt, rejta is a tailored dress with full sleeves and a neckline almost akin to a Nehru collar. Once worn by Christians only, today it transcends barriers, being worn by all alike, becoming Kotgarh’s paharans’ attire. Sporting rejta with perfect ease and poise, women set it off by wearing pahari jewellery like amli or chandrahaar necklace. Prominent Shimla women like "Pia Basanti" queen and owner of orchards Uma Singha and "Neelima" folksong crooner Sharda Sharma along with dolls of Himachal Emporium keep the tradition alive by donning rejta. However, the rejta remains incomplete without sadari, which is a sleeveless jacket, and a dhatu (square scarf). Sometimes tiny pom-poms dangle on dhatu’s edge. Some women tie a dupatta as a gachi (girdle) around their waists. They pick up one end of flared rejta, tuck it in gachi or just carry it gracefully slung over the arm. An American in Khadi penned by Asha Sharma (grand-daughter of Samuel Evans, later Satyanand Stokes) narrates that after marriage of Stokes to Agnes, they undertook a holiday trip to New Delhi, Agra, Banaras, Mt. Abu and Bombay, staying at the swanky Taj Mahal Hotel. Agnes was fascinated by the city and its people but most of all by saris worn by Parsi ladies. She declared solemnly that henceforth that she was going to wear only saris. Stokes was almost only too happy as he himself liked the dress far better than the long gowns worn by the Christians of Kotgarh, and immediately bought half a dozen saris for her. Indeed, this reveals one of the interesting facets of Stokes’ fascinating life. This remarkable biography has pictures of Agnes Stokes attired in saris as well as a rejta topped with a dhatu. Not to be confused with rejta is pakhti, that is less colourful and stitched from thick tweed, terry wool or hand-woven pattoo.
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