Traditional Clothing of the World

Sri Lanka

The traditional clothing of Sri Lanka is very interesting. Women (near the age of marrying or already married) normally wear a sari, also known as Kandyan Sari as traditional clothing. 










Sinhalese girls wear half saree, a cloth and jacket with a frill around shoulders. Tamil little girls wear pavadai sattai, which is pretty much a skirt with a design and a blouse. The aged Tamil girls (who have reached puberty) normally wear half sarre's which is like a saree but not fully, there would be a long scarf or cloth to put on your left shoulder and gets tucked in your skirt and it is like a pavadai sattai too! 




Sinhalese men wear Sarong and shirt called Baniyama. And Tamil men wear patta vetty which is a shirt and a long cloth which they wrap around their waist.

The Kandyan Saree is prepared with a long piece of Clothing of about 7 yards or more. The material of this is usually pure cotton, which is comfortable to wear since sri lanka has quite a hot climate. The picture shown on the side is of a kandyan saree which is mostly worn by the women of  hill country in sri lanka.


the southern wealthy women wear the kandyan saree in a different style. But now a days many of the southern women wear the saree in the Indian style. 

Traditional costume of Sri Lanka "Udarata Mul Anduma’

The ‘Udarata Mul Anduma’ is a very important as well as impressive form of dress. It is popular among not only kandyans as well as other Sinhalese during their marriage and other important events. A velvet jacket, four separated cloths, a carved knife, and four corner elaborated head gear make the wearer fell like a knight of yore. But many fail to realize its significance today.

‘Mul Anduma’ has an Indian origin, believed to have been introduced to Sri Lanka during Nanayakkar dynasty. This form of dress evolved into the standard regalia of royal officials. It is later continued to worn by Rate Mahattaya, Mohottala, Dissawa, and the Basnayaka Nilame.

 The original ‘Mul Anduma’ comprised seven items to be worn around the waist. It has now come down to four.

An indication of the caste system in Sri Lanka, this dress can be worn by a particular section of the society. There are many customs and observances that have to be carried out when making this dress as well as in dressing it.

The whole costume consists of many parts. They are the reli kalisama, the viluda papu patiya, the sudu thippotiya, pachcha wadama, Somana, Kavaniya, the velvet jacket, thoppiya with the mal gaha, the knife, the shoes, Peras mudda, and the necklace with the medal.