For every Bengali woman, her hair is the crowning glory. She loves to adorn it with fresh blooms and precious jewels, wear it in many different styles, and flaunt it for the world to admire. And why shouldn't she? Her thick, black tresses, long and luscious, reminiscent of the sky at midnight inspire poetry. Oceans of ink have been spilt attempting to capture its beauty through words.
And when she wears it up in a khopa, her graceful neck and poised turn of the head show off her beauty spectacularly. The khopa is as versatile as the many hats she wears. When she's busy and rushing from one thing to another her hair is hastily put up in a messy bun, keeping her cool and free from managing her long hair. And then when she has a party to attend, she chooses a beautiful saree and matching glass bangles to go with it, her hairdo is different.
With great care she brushes off tangles, parts her hair from the side, and coils her hair into a lovely khopa that she will lovingly adorn with a flower or two, maybe with a string of beli even, spreading its fragrance. With a simple hairdo, she will embody the very essence of a Bengali woman, her grace and beauty known all around.
Braids or beni is one of our best friends. Our love affair with it began as little girls when our mothers neatly plaited our long hair in two lovely braids for school, complete with bows so our hair would stay nicely in place. And oh what fun we had, running around playing tag, throwing caution in the wind as our lovely long braids swayed away in childish mischief!
With the passage of time, when we left days of our girlhood behind, this humble beni stayed with us through thick and thin. In our downtime, after a good hot oil massage, the good old beni keeps our hair in place as we run errands. When on a beachy vacation a braid keeps the fly-away at bay while channelling island girl swank!
These age-old hairstyles are here to stay and they have been reimagined and reinvented time and again. Wearing a traditional Katan to your friend's wedding? A lovely khopa is the way to go, with a side-swept parting. Wear your favourite Kundan neckpiece on the bun and add some flowers by the side to elevate your hair game.
A chic structural gown will look fantastic with a sleek bun, kept simple but stunning. If you are wearing a fusion-style drape skirt with a sheer jacket that is all the rage right now, go for high khopa and deck it up with streaks of glitter that have been artfully painted around the bun to take things up a notch!
Braids are as versatile as they come. Fishtail braids are lovely, feminine and very flattering. From ethnic outfits to Western dresses, it complements them all. For a holud or mehendi, go for a long plait, wrap a zari ribbon on it and finish off with some lovely parandi at the end to add a fun, traditional twist to your look.
Fresh flower strings are always stunning so coil it around your braid. Baby's breath and daisies look lovely when worn on braids and are perfect for those countless pre-wedding events you will attend this year!
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