Burqa

Also known as 'Afghani burqa,' modern-day usage refers to: "A tent-like cloak that completely drapes a woman’s body and face, with only a crocheted screen as an eye-piece. It has been worn by women to go out in public for almost a century or more in Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and parts of the Arabian peninsula." However, it is claimed that this common definition is incorrect, and actually should be referred to as "chadri" (a chador with mesh covering the face). It is an outer garment, "worn for the purpose of cloaking the entire body, worn over the usual daily clothing...and removed when a woman returns to her home." "The chadri covers the wearer's entire face except for a small region about the eyes, which is covered by a concealing net or grille, and the cap from which the material hangs is often decorated with gorgeous hand-embroidery... The garment is usually sewn from light materials, and requires many metres of material. Blue is a favourite colour for chadris, but saffron yellow and white are often common. The chadri was created by one of Afghanistan's rulers trying to stop anyone from seeing his wives' faces. He came up with the chadri, which became a sign of an upper class citizen; however, as times changed, the new government decided that chadris weren't modern enough and banned them. The upper class people then gave them to their servants. The chadris in those days were made out of silk and the mesh at the front was lace. Before the Taliban took power in Afghanistan, the chadri was infrequently worn in cities. While they were in power, the Taliban Regime required the wearing of a chadri in public," thus "It has come to be seen as symbol of the suppressive Taliban Regime." However many women chose to wear burqa for cultural, religious, or personal reasons. "Liberating Afghan women from the Burqa was a sub-text of the war against the Taliban. Although some Afghan women have discarded the Burqa, after the fall of Taliban, an overwhelming majority continue to wear it as a matter of choice and social norm."