The Gujaratis, the people of Gujarat, are found all over
the state. These people trace their lineage from the people
originally known as Gurjars. They are believed to have come
to India with the Huns and while passing through Punjab,
settled in Gujarat. Gujaratis were highly influenced by
the cultural waves from the mainland and accepted the monarchies
that ruled over them. Various Hindu traditions like Shavism
and Vaishnavism which sprang upon the mainland were imbibed
by Gujarat which in turn developed its own galaxy of saints
and devotees and its own art and culture. The successive
waves of immigration were absorbed in the society that was
fast evolving and today the word Gujarati does not seem
to suggest any definite association with a particular stock,
a tribe of immigrants or a specific group of people.
The Jadeja Rajputs, the Lohanas and even the Muslims many
of whom are 'Maldharis', the cattle-breeders, and have all
come from Sindh consequent upon their defeat at the hands
of some kings or as a result of some religious persecution.
Dress
Gujarati males generally wear dhoti, long or short coat
and turban cap. Nowadays, pants are becoming common instead
of dhoti. The women wear sari and blouse. Parsi males wear
pants, long coat and a headgear. The Parsi women's clothes
are identical with those of the Hindu women with a slight
difference marked by long sleeves of the blouse and a scarf
on the head.
Ornaments
With the changing times, the ornaments of the women are
also changing. They have become simpler and meager. They
generally wear rings, ear-rings, bangles and slender chains.
Bangles made of ivory and dyed in red, with a gold chip,
are presented to the bride by her maternal uncle on the
occasion of her marriage.
Language
The three important languages of Gujarat are Gujarati,
Urdu and Sindhi. There are eleven variants or dialects of
Gujarati. Kachchi as a mother tongue is important in Kutch.
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