achkan

The achkan evolved from the {{Transliteration|hi|chapkan}}, a dress which was worn by people in higher social classes.{{Cite book |last=Biswas |first=A. (Arabinda) |url=http://archive.org/details/indiancostumes00bisw |title=Indian Costumes |date=2003 |publisher=Publications Division, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Government of India |others=Public Resource |isbn=978-81-230-1055-7}} According to Shrar, the achkan was invented in Lucknow when India was being ruled by independent rulers (rajas, nawabs and Nizams).{{Cite book |last=H.r. Nevill |url=http://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.13430 |title=The Lucknow Omnibus |date=1884}}{{cite web |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/308902032 |title=The Birth of the Sherwani: An Influence of the British Raj |date=January 2016 |first=Toolika |last=Gupta |via=ResearchGate}} It was later adopted by high class Hindus from Muslim nobles{{Cite book |last=Mahajan |first=V. D. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nMWSQuf4oSIC&pg=RA1-PA431 |title=History of Medieval India |date=2007 |publisher=S. Chand Publishing |isbn=978-81-219-0364-6 |language=en}}

It can be distinguished from the {{lang|hi|sherwani}} through various aspects, particularly the front opening. Achkans traditionally have a side opening tied with strings, known as baghal bandi, although front openings are not uncommon.{{citation needed|date=September 2024}} {{lang|hi|Sherwani}}s always have a straight opening at the front, due to their function as an outer garment. The achkan, like the angarkha, was traditionally worn with a sash known as patka, kamarband or dora wrapped around the waist to keep the entire outfit in place. Achkans are always worn with either dhoti or churidar. Achkans are made from various fabrics for both formal and informal occasions. They often have decorative embroidery in traditional styles, such as {{lang|hi|gota}} and {{lang|hi|badla}}. Today, achkans are commonly worn by a groom during a wedding ceremony or other formal festive occasions in the Indian subcontinent.

There are various regional variations of achkan worn throughout the Indian subcontinent, known by regional names such as {{lang|ne|daura}} in Nepal and Northeast India, {{lang|hi|angi}} in Southern India and {{lang|hi|chola}} or {{lang|hi|cholu}} in Indian Himalayas.

In the Indian subcontinent, the achkan is generally worn for formal occasions in winter, especially by those from Jammu, Rajasthan, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Hyderabad.{{cite web|title=Nehru's style statement|url=http://www.tehelka.com/2016/01/nehrus-style-statement/|access-date=2021-03-09|archive-date=2016-07-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160701091856/http://www.tehelka.com/2016/01/nehrus-style-statement/|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|title=Shifting Sands: Costume in Rajasthan|url=http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1432&context=tsaconf}} The achkan is generally associated with the Hindus while the sherwani was historically favoured by Muslims.{{cite book|title=From Cool to Un-cool to Re-cool: Nehru and Mao tunics in the sixties and post-sixties West|journal=Global Textile Encounters |year=2014 |page=227 |url=https://www.academia.edu/14599317|last1=Langkjær |first1=Michael A. |doi=10.2307/j.ctvh1dpz7.27 }} The two garments have significant similarities, though sherwanis typically are more flared at the hips and achkans are lengthier than sherwanis. The achkan later evolved into the Nehru Jacket, which is popular in India.

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