Lifestyle for any city means “The overall representation of the people living there; their earnings, beliefs, traditions, and opinions….”.
While multiple groups living in a region contribute to a diverse lifestyle still there are some underlying ways of life with which the people in the city operate. This could be defined as the soul of the city as well.
Kolhapur is considered one of the best cities to live in in Maharashtra. People who belong to Kolhapur claim even if they have to migrate to other parts of the world, they still wanna come back to the city for the simplistic and contenting lifestyle it offers to the residents. Kolhapur is fertile land and on top of it, the city also has a lot of local handicraft and artifacts businesses. Overall the per capita income of the city is much higher than many other contemporary cities of Maharashtra. With this economical growth, the city is attracting many brands to expand into the cities, and a wide range of shopping, salon and tech brands are opening their retail stores in the city.
Kolhapur’s traditional lifestyle is very simple. The energy of a typical household is full of enthusiasm and high spirits. The crime rate of the city is also relatively very low and people like to live a peaceful life enjoying their local delicacy food on a daily basis and enjoying a walk around the riverside with the family. Some underlying traditions of Kolhapur that are famous all across the country are :
Kolhapur ‘Pheta’ and ‘Sadra’
The traditional families really value their unique turbans called “Pheta”. It’s a matter of honor in Kolhapur and is offered to all prestigious guests and on all special occasions and marriages, it is a must for all men in the family. The turban is a 3.5-6 meter long cloth wrapped around the head in a unique way with its end popping out in a discrete way. Leheriya Pheta is a variant of a ‘Pheta’ which is made of a special print of the fabric. Pheta represents the pride people take in their traditions and values. A muscular wrestler wearing a festive color turban is the most iconic heritage of the city. It’s a usual tradition to welcome the most important guests with a Pheta and it’s an absolute credit of respect for the guests. Sadra is the unique style of dhoti that men in Kolhapur wear on all cultural occasions and again is an important aspect of the Kolhapuri lifestyle.
World-famous Kolhapuri Chappals
Any item on the Kolhapur lifestyle is incomplete without mentioning the world-famous Kolhapuri chappals which are also an integral part of the traditional people of Kolhapur. These chappals are beautiful leather outers on a rubber sole. In spite of so many new types of footwear coming in, you will still find people of Kolhapur wearing them most of the time with pride.
“Saaz” and the “Nauvari Saree”
Kolhapur people are very used to their old traditions and lifestyle. Even today at weddings, people prefer traditional jewelry designs. A very famous Kolhapuri design is called “Saaz”, which is a necklace made of a traditional design and can be uniquely identified. Also, the “Nauvari saree” which newlyweds wear is a beautiful tradition Kolhapur stands for to date.
Modern influence of Kolhapur’s lifestyle
In the times of globalization, when the youth is going out and getting exposed to so many different types of cultures outside the city, they are gradually accepting some changes and enjoying the modern tweaks in their lifestyles.
Recently so many gyms, salons, and spas are opened in the city whereas this culture was absolutely new to the people of Kolhapur a few years ago. The mall culture is also expanding vastly in the city and attracting kids and youth of the city.
These changes are inevitable and possible with changing times but what matters is that Kolhapur still runs on the Missal and people still love their traditions so much. This mix of values will take the city towards a path of more success and happiness.
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