Jama thumbnail 1
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Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
South Asia Gallery, Room 41

Jama

c.1855 (made)
Place of origin

Un-lined jama (male garment) of red muslin with trimmings in silver-gilt gota (tinsel ribbon), crimped metal strips, and sequins made of clipped jewel beetle elytron (wing cases). The full and heavy skirt is embellished with vertical strips of silver gilt gota, finished at the hem with a wide band of gota faced on the back with a sinjaf (hem facing) of green cotton and trimmed with gota-moti (beaded cord covered in gota). The torso and sleeves patterned with gota patti (cut gota-work) and beetle wing case sequins in the shape of bands on the arms, large shoulder decorations, a large flower on the right chest, a large teardrop shaped decoration at the back neck, and strips down the back and along the closure at the front. The jama fastens on the left side, tied with green cords and six large decorative ties patterned with a chevron design in silver-gilt gota.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Brief description
Jama (male garment), red muslin with applied silver-gilt trimmings and jewel beetle wing case sequins, Bikaner, Rajasthan, c.1855; Textiles; Clothing; Male Clothes
Physical description
Un-lined jama (male garment) of red muslin with trimmings in silver-gilt gota (tinsel ribbon), crimped metal strips, and sequins made of clipped jewel beetle elytron (wing cases). The full and heavy skirt is embellished with vertical strips of silver gilt gota, finished at the hem with a wide band of gota faced on the back with a sinjaf (hem facing) of green cotton and trimmed with gota-moti (beaded cord covered in gota). The torso and sleeves patterned with gota patti (cut gota-work) and beetle wing case sequins in the shape of bands on the arms, large shoulder decorations, a large flower on the right chest, a large teardrop shaped decoration at the back neck, and strips down the back and along the closure at the front. The jama fastens on the left side, tied with green cords and six large decorative ties patterned with a chevron design in silver-gilt gota.
Marks and inscriptions
[Persian script]: (illegible) poshak mardani (illegible) [Devanagari script]: Jama posakh mardani raj Bikaner [Latin script]: Jama from Bikaneer (Original label likely sent with the object when it was first displayed in the Universal Exposition in Paris, 1855. )
Translation
Jama / Male clothing / Raj of Bikaner
Object history
Transferred from the India Museum to South Kensington Museum in November 1879. Acquired by the India Museum as a woman's garment (incorrect) from the Paris International Exhibition of 1855. Slip book entry 3805: 'Woman's Garment [sic] / Beekaneer / 55 / Red Muslin Dress / Very large Emb'd with Gold'. 1880 Register entry: '05563. SKIRT. Crimson muslin, embroidered with gold; Bukaneer. 3805'
Association
Other number
3805 - India Museum Slip Book
Collection
Accession number
05563(IS)

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Record createdJuly 31, 2014
Record URL
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