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There’s almost always an explanation when it comes to the unforgiving world of fashion. One man’s quirk is another man’s camp; One woman’s eccentricity is another woman’s basic thing and that’s the way it goes. Right in between the hits and misses lies a no-man’s land of unforgettable ensembles – ones that leave you confused about whether you should appreciate the inspiration for their daring armor or launch a barrage of unsolicited opinions. It seems that actress Bhumi Pednekar’s recent style evolution has moved into this no-man’s land for quite some time now and her latest outfit has definitely felt the heat in this regard. Walking the red carpet in a look that has been unanimously dubbed ‘naagin-core’ on the internet is not possible for everyone. But, the risks are greater when you are trying to translate a legacy that has been passed down for centuries.
beyond the audacious serpent-core
Just to clarify things immediately, Bhumi was not taking the form of a serpent, although that is what most untrained eyes would assume. Her white dress, surrounded by a serpentine-sided glass torso, was the work of Raw Mango. What inspired them? The age-old Bhuta Kola ritual dance of Karnataka. The glass armor was actually made in reference to the ghost breastplate that was worn during the ritual, the name being the Tulu word for ‘spirit play’. This dance ritual is prevalent among Hindus of Tulu Nadu and other parts of Karnataka. Bhumi’s final look was based on the theme of transparency, opting for similarly-coded arm stacks from Adikara and customized ear cuffs and bangles from Outhouse Jewellery.
In comparison, traditional breastplates may be made of metal or even wood and are worn by male performers with corresponding headgear, masks, jewelery and body paint. The Art Café, for example, sells these breastplates crafted from brass, and called mirekattu, which cost 35,000.
Antique Story sells its wooden counterpart, called Theyyam, which incidentally is made from the same block of wood.
The ornate details are actually a part of the design giving it a serpentine aesthetic. It not only serves as a harbinger for fertility but also symbolizes reverence for Lord Shiva. So yes, Bhumi’s look actually goes deeper than reductive serpent-core outrage.
So is this cultural appropriation?
Deepti Sasidharan, founder of archival firm, does not believe so. The land may not have any connection to the community and its culture that they have depicted in their deeply-inspired form, which may place their effort within the scope of an act of appropriation. However, Deepti confirms in her 5-point perspective on the episode how “the design firm has embraced Genesis very strongly”. She explains in her post, “Theyyam rituals in Kerala are similar to Bhuta Kola in Karnataka – there are hundreds of types of Theyyam and multiple deities represented there. The firm has clarified that this breastplate is inspired by the ghost.”
Now given the context, it appears that Bhoomi’s look has moved away from being stuck in the ‘serpentine-core at best, serpentine-core at worst’ conundrum and can be quantified as high art. Idea?
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