My Memory of Mariama Chedathi(Great grandma) was her 100 watt smile that brightens her Pure white starched "Chatayum mundum ".Yes! Today we'll be featuring the one thing that makes "Nasarani's " ( a term used to refer to a Malayalee Syrian Christians." Nasrani " comes from the Arabic term "Nasraya" which refers to Christians. Well The Nasrani cuisine is something that talks for itself from the "stews", " Pidi and kozhiyum", "Kappa puzuku" and the list goes on. But all these are delicacies are brought to the table by the chedathis and chechis dressed up in their statement "Chatayum mundu". Haven't heard about it?? That's because this traditional wear has be overtaken to more colourful, comfortable clothing. But here's little intercept from a beautiful article"Ciao to the Chatta "written by "J Deepa " for The Hindu.
"A white top ( chatta) and a wrap-around like cloth for the waist ( mundu). The top part of the costume, always white in colour, called chatta, is a loose version of a ladies’ blouse. It is more like a loose jacket, with fairly loose half sleeves. It has no opening either in the front or at the back, except for the very strange opening cut out from the centre of the white fabric. This opening is a semi-circle at the back which continues in the shape of a ‘V’ down the upper part of the front. The edges of this opening, the edges of the sleeves, and the main body of the chatta are neatly hemmed in.
The mundu is an ordinary cloth that forms the lower part of the costume.
The kachamuri is the more festive version of it. The most interesting part of the costume is the queer-looking fan worn half-spread out at the back. It was no surprising matter that most foreigners first thought that the fan at the back was made from another small piece of white cloth and tucked in there. It is the upper part of one end of the mundu that is gathered into a fan of about a dozen folds and pulled out to cover the back.
The chatta and mundu ordinarily have no decorations on them. What gives them a special look is the kavani or the half-sari worn over them. It is pleated in the middle and is pinned to the left shoulder of the chatta using a brooch, often made of gold or some metal with a golden finish, decorated with white or coloured stones. The half of the kavani that falls to the back of the body is usually left in the pleated way, the last outermost pleat being a fairly broad one (about three inches).
The other half of the kavani, which falls to the front of the body, is left spread out. The kavani is often decorated with embroidery, usually done in white itself or soft colours. The really decorated kavanis, always off-white in colour, with jerry borders and exquisitely designed, mostly came from Balaramapuram.
Usually there is a narrow jerry border on the inner edge and a much broader showy jerry border on the outer edge and at both the ends. Brides of olden days were made to wear chatta specially decorated with gold around the necks and kachamuri with gold lines on the outer edge. A lot of traditional golden jewellery was also worn along with it, and specially designed shoes often added grandeur to the bride’s outfit. "
So you might be thinking why did I suddenly write about this, thanks to Aksa (One of my talented Juniors from college) who unintentionally inspired me with her Collages. She recently did a mini DIY photoshoot with her grandmother ,her cousin and her in the "Chatayum mundum " Outfit. I was intrigued to know more about this traditional wear which was no more a favourite among the community and that's how I ended up in this Post. Thanks to Aksa we have some Amazing file pictures. Do check them out!!!
Yours Truly
Miss Alex
