This is not the first time Chavan wore ‘Banjara’ clothes: In the August 2019 cabinet oath taking, Chavan became the centre of attraction as he walked into Raj Bhavan decked up in the traditional, colourful Banjara dress and oversized headwear.
In a country like India, which is so diverse and has so many cultures, your outfit often represents what you stand for. Politics and clothing has always gone hand in hand: Whether it be Prime Minister Narendra Modi‘s headgear making headline, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi‘s black button-down Nehru jacket for every occasion, Mamata Banerjee‘s trademark ‘hawai chapal’ or even the humble ‘gamcha’ during Assam Elections, your clothes do tell a separate tale, if you’re a politician. For a Karnataka minister of the newly-expanded cabinet too, the outfit tells a unique tale – especially one at an oath-taking ceremony.
The oath-taking ceremony of Karnataka ministers who have been inducted to the newly formed Basavaraj Bommai-led cabinet was conducted at Raj Bhavan in Bengaluru on Wednesday afternoon. CM Bommai, who took oath last week, was present at the ceremony where Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot administered the Oath of Office and Secrecy to the new council of ministers. A total of 29 BJP legislators took oath and, interestingly, several of them did so in the name of farmers, gods and gaumata.
While Prabhu Chavan took oath in the name of gaumata, Murugesh Nirani, a popular leader from the Lingayat sub-sect, did so in the name of gods and farmers. Chavan stood out for another reason: His outfit, or as Gen-Z puts it, #OOTD.
Three-time MLA from Bidar district Prabhu Bhamla Chavan of BJP took oath as minister wearing the traditional attire of the Lambani community. Posting photos from the oath-taking, the minister shared them on Twitter.
Chavan wore an embroidered traditional attire, which is synonymous with the tribal community. While women of the Lambani community traditionally wear brilliant and bright shades of red, yellow, blue, green, orange, etc., men are seen in intricately designed turbans, and waistcoats or waist jackets with heavy mirror-work, reports Indian Express.
Called as ‘Banjaras’ in some states, the semi-nomadic Lambani tribes are said to be descendants of the Arya Roma gypsies of Europe, who migrated through Central Asia and Afghanistan before arriving in the deserts of Rajasthan. Trading in salt and grains facilitated their move to southern states such as Karnataka, reads a report. Modern clothing embellished with kasuthi kelsa (embroidery work) that is unique to the Lambani tribal community in Karnataka has helped local women keep the traditional craft alive, YourStory reported in 2018.
Lambani outfits stand out: They are clothes that have a lot of thread embroidery, buttons, shells, sequins, silver beads.
This is not the first time Chavan wore ‘Banjara’ clothes: In the August 2019 cabinet oath taking, Chavan became the centre of attraction as he walked into Raj Bhavan decked up in the traditional, colourful Banjara dress and an oversized headwear.
Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai had announced earlier that there will be no Deputy Chief Ministers this time. He also said former Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa’s younger son and state BJP Vice President BY Vijayendra is not among the ministers sworn-in. Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru before the oath ceremony, the Chief Minister had said “A total of 29 Ministers will take oath, and in the previous cabinet led by BS Yediyurappa there were three Deputy CMs, but this time there will be none as per the high command’s direction
