India
oi-Madhuri Adnal
For
the
77th
Republic
Day,
everyone
was
checking
out
what
Prime
Minister
Narendra
Modi
was
wearing!
He
mixed
tradition,
local
vibes,
and
a
bit
of
modern
fashion.
The
main
thing
people
noticed
was
his
Rajasthani
turban.
It
had
cool
Leheriya
(wave)
designs
in
bright
red
and
yellow.
Those
colors
usually
mean
good
luck
and
happiness
in
Western
India.
Like
he
does
every
year,
the
Prime
Minister
picked
a
special
turban
from
a
different
state
in
India
to
show
off
our
country’s
different
cultures.
भारतीय
प्रधान
मंत्री
नरेंद्र
मोदी
ने
77वें
गणतंत्र
दिवस
पर
राजस्थानी
पगड़ी
पहनी
थी
जिसमें
लाल
और
पीले
रंग
के
लहरिया
डिजाइन
थे,
साथ
ही
एक
नीली
मोदी
जैकेट
और
एक
मैचिंग
पॉकेट
स्क्वायर
भी
था;
यह
पारंपरिक
वस्त्रों
के
उनके
उपयोग
का
एक
उदाहरण
था,
जो
विभिन्न
राज्यों
से
पगड़ियों
और
क्षेत्रीय
वस्त्रों
को
प्रदर्शित
करता
है।
He
also
wore
a
light
blue
Modi
Jacket
(basically
a
cooler
Nehru
jacket).
It
probably
was
made
from
Khadi
or
hand-loomed
silk,
which
supports
local
businesses.
He
had
a
colorful
pocket
square
that
matched
his
turban,
which
pulled
the
whole
look
together.
Underneath
the
jacket,
he
wore
a
dark
navy
blue
Kurta.
It
stood
out
against
the
lighter
jacket
and
bright
turban,
making
him
look
stylish
but
still
connected
to
his
roots.
Prime
Minister
Narendra
Modi’s
sartorial
choices
during
Republic
Day
celebrations
have
consistently
drawn
public
attention,
with
his
headgear
often
reflecting
India’s
regional
traditions
and
textile
heritage.
In
recent
years,
these
choices
have
become
an
integral
part
of
the
visual
narrative
surrounding
the
national
event.
2025:
Modi
wore
a
red
and
yellow
striped
safa,
paired
with
a
brown
bandhgala
jacket
and
a
pocket
square.
The
look
continued
a
long
pattern
of
distinctive
turbans
and
traditional
headgear
at
major
national
ceremonies.
2024:
Bandhani
print
safa
At
the
2024
Republic
Day
celebrations,
the
Prime
Minister
opted
for
a
multi-hued
bandhani
print
safa.
Bandhani
is
a
traditional
tie-and-dye
textile
technique
widely
practised
in
Gujarat
and
Rajasthan.
The
craft
involves
pinching
the
fabric
with
fingernails
and
tightly
binding
small
sections
before
dyeing,
resulting
in
intricate
dotted
patterns
once
the
bindings
are
released.
2023:
Rajasthani
and
bandhani
influences
The
2023
Republic
Day
celebrations
saw
Modi
don
a
multi-hued
bandhani
print
safa,
once
again
highlighting
India’s
indigenous
textile
traditions.
The
same
year
also
marked
a
strong
Rajasthani
influence
in
his
ceremonial
attire.
During
the
Republic
Day
and
later
at
the
77th
Independence
Day
celebrations,
he
appeared
in
vibrant,
multi-coloured
Rajasthani-style
turbans,
some
featuring
extended
tails,
paired
with
traditional
kurta-trouser
combinations.
2022:
Uttarakhand
symbolism
Departing
from
turbans
in
2022,
Modi
chose
a
traditional
Uttarakhand
cap
for
the
Republic
Day
celebrations.
The
cap
was
complemented
by
a
brooch
inspired
by
the
Brahma
Kamal,
the
state
flower
of
Uttarakhand.
The
choice
resonated
with
the
Prime
Minister’s
frequent
visits
to
Kedarnath
and
was
widely
seen
as
a
nod
to
regional
identity
and
spiritual
symbolism.
2021:
Halari
pagdi
from
Jamnagar
At
the
2021
Republic
Day
celebrations,
Modi
wore
a
Halari
pagdi
–
a
red
bandhej
turban
with
yellow
dots
–
gifted
by
the
Jamnagar
royal
family.
The
bandhej
style,
closely
associated
with
western
India,
once
again
underlined
the
Prime
Minister’s
preference
for
traditional
crafts
during
national
occasions.
Independence
Day
parallels
The
colour,
variety
and
symbolism
evident
in
Modi’s
Republic
Day
attire
are
mirrored
in
his
Independence
Day
appearances.
For
his
first
Independence
Day
address
in
2014,
he
wore
a
bright
red
Jodhpuri
bandhej
turban.
In
2015,
he
shifted
to
a
yellow
turban
marked
by
multi-coloured
intersecting
lines.
In
2016,
Modi
appeared
at
the
Red
Fort
in
a
pink-and-yellow
tie-and-dye
turban,
followed
in
2017
by
a
red-and-yellow
design
accented
with
golden
intersecting
lines.
The
emphasis
on
bold
colours
continued
in
2018
with
a
saffron
turban,
while
a
multi-coloured
headgear
marked
his
2019
Independence
Day
address
after
returning
to
power
with
a
large
majority.
The
focus
on
the
Prime
Minister’s
attire
during
Republic
Day
celebrations
exists
alongside
broader
civic
and
political
themes
associated
with
the
occasion.
Public
discussions
often
centre
on
patriotism,
constitutional
values
and
national
unity,
while
electoral
developments
and
political
debates
continue
in
parallel.
Through
evolving
turbans,
regional
textiles
and
traditional
motifs,
Modi’s
Republic
Day
and
Independence
Day
attire
has
emerged
as
a
consistent
visual
element
of
India’s
national
celebrations.
His
clothing
choices,
like
his
public
messaging,
reflect
how
symbolism,
culture
and
politics
intersect
during
the
country’s
most
significant
ceremonial
moments.
