Nepali Fashion - Kurta Suruwal

KURTA SURUWAL

From simple, super comfortable everyday-wear to glamorous, Bollywood-style outfits worthy of a wedding or a dance party, you can find incredible range in kurtas.

In India they are often called salwar kameez, and if you're shopping online, that's what you'll find them as. But in Nepal, this outfit is referred to as Kurta Suruwal. Kurta is the tunic/dress top and suruwal refers to the trousers. The outfit is usually completed with a matching scarf, called a "saal."

You can find ready-made saree and kurtas, which is a great option if you don't have a lot of time in Nepal. But I highly recommend getting one tailor-made. It's simple, cheap, and you'll have an outfit custom-made for you.

A great perk of having your outfit tailor-made is that you have control over the style. You can choose the common Punjabi-style suruwal, which in layman's terms is the Poofy Pants look, which is super comfortable and sort of breezy which is nice for hot weather.

Shopping in Nepali, part 2

Here are some phrases you can use while shopping and bargaining in Nepal:

Phrases

अलिकति मिलाउनुस न! Alikati milaunus na! (Ah-lee-kah-tee mih-lau-noos nah!)
- Please cut the price a little!
After a vendor has stated his/her price for the item you want to buy, you can try this out to start the bargaining process.

Shopping in Nepali, part 1

Shopping in Nepal is a fun but also challenging activity...
From buying souvenirs to clothes to kitchen utensils, you may have to be prepared to bargain hard to get a good deal!
Depending on where you stay in Nepal, there may be a few supermarkets that have fixed prices and accept credit cards (think Wal-Mart, Nepali style). Bhat Bhateni and Salesberry are a couple popular options. But these places, while convenient, are often more expensive and certainly less exciting than the family-owned businesses that you will find on pretty much any street.

Some tips:

• Ask a Nepali friend what the item you're searching for normally costs. It's much easier to bargain if you know the price range before hand. Often a shopkeeper will tell you, "Name your price!" and if you have no idea what a fair price is, it can get difficult!

• Don't feel like you have to buy what you're looking for at the first shop you find it (unless you've been informed that this is the best place). If you're determined, you might be able to find a better deal at another nearby shop. Also - if you seem interested in an item but hesitate and try to leave, the shopkeeper might offer you a better deal so he/she doesn't lose your business!

• Don't feel too bad for trying to cut the price as much as you can. Especially in Kathmandu (and especially in neighborhoods with lots of tourists), shopkeepers know exactly what they're doing and may try to charge an exorbitant price at first. They won't let an item go for less than they know it's worth, so you don't have to feel guilty!

In part 2 I'll go over handy phrases and vocabulary you can use to shop and bargain in Nepali!