The Men's Puja Wardrobe: Five Days, Five Kurta Looks

Five days, a lot of photographs, and no real interest in shopping. That is most men at Durga Puja. The good news is that five days does not need five new outfits — it needs three, worn properly, with one jacket doing the heavy lifting.

Shashthi — cotton, and nothing you mind creasing

The first evening is walking. Long, warm and crowded. A plain cotton kurta in white, sage or a muted earth tone with a churidar or straight pyjama is right. Anything silk will be regretted by the second pandal. Start with RANJH kurta pajama.

Saptami — the Bengali morning

If there is one day to wear a traditional Bengali kurta, this is it. Off-white or cream, a tussar or fine cotton, worn with a dhoti if you carry one well and a pyjama if you do not. Tussar has the advantage of looking dressed without being hot — see the tussar range for the fabric, and RANJH for the menswear cuts.

Ashtami — the one that gets photographed

Anjali in the morning, family visits all evening, and every photograph of the week. This is the day to spend the outfit on. A silk kurta in a deep colour — wine, bottle green, indigo — or an ivory kurta with a worked Nehru jacket over it. A kurta jacket set solves the whole question in one purchase.

Navami — reuse, with a change

Here is the trick that saves you an outfit. Wear Saptami's kurta again, but with the Ashtami jacket over it, and change the footwear. Different silhouette, different photographs, no one notices. That is why the jacket is the piece worth buying properly — it works over three of the five kurtas you own.

Dashami — white, to match the house

Dashami is white and red for the women, and a clean white or off-white kurta for the men. Sindoor gets everywhere on Dashami, which is another argument for cotton you are not precious about. Keep it simple and let the day be the occasion.

What to actually buy

If you are starting from nothing, three purchases cover the week:

• Two cotton kurtas — one white, one coloured.
• One silk or tussar kurta for Ashtami.
• One good Nehru jacket in a neutral that goes over all three.

For a wedding in the same season, the sherwani and indo-western range is the next step up.

Fit, which matters more than fabric

• Shoulder seam sits on the edge of your shoulder, not below it. Nothing else can be fixed if this is wrong.
• Length to mid-thigh or just below the knee. Shorter reads casual, longer needs confidence.
• Sleeve ends at the wrist bone. Rolled sleeves are for the day, not for anjali.
• Pyjama should break once at the ankle. Churidar should gather; straight pyjama should not.

Frequently asked questions

What should men wear for Durga Puja?

Cotton kurtas for the walking days, a silk or tussar kurta for Ashtami, and white on Dashami. A Nehru jacket lets you re-wear a kurta without it looking repeated.

Is a dhoti necessary?

No. It is traditional for Saptami and Ashtami mornings in Bengal, but a kurta with churidar or pyjama is entirely acceptable.

How many kurtas do I need for five days?

Three, if one of them is paired with a jacket on a second day.

What colours work for Puja?

Off-white and cream for the mornings, deep jewel tones for the evenings, and white on Dashami.

Shop RANJH menswear at rangoliindia.com, or visit our stores in Kolkata, Hyderabad, Bengaluru and Vijayawada.