When the adorable Sheela made a comeback to Malayalam cinema, donning a 'chatta and mundu' in the film Manasinnikkare, we were more than happy to welcome her with open arms. Again, when actress Swati Reddy from the new-generation bandwagon opted for the 'chatta and mundu' for the film Amen, the crowds appreciated it with the same gusto. The latest flick Oru Muthassi Gadha, has the lead character, grandma Leelamma storm into our hearts wearing a 'chatta and mundu'. The director Jude Anthany Joseph had felt that this was one costume that had so much power and was one that commanded respect.
This traditional and simple attire has many tales behind its origin. It is said that Malayali wives of the Arab merchants, who had come to the Malabar region for business purposes, were the first to adorn the 'chatta and mundu.' But the name 'chatta,' for the top, was coined later. Earlier, this used to be known, in the Malabar region, as 'mundu and kuppayam.' From there, the Christian women of Kerala decided to popularize this attire and completed it with a 'chatta' and a 'kavani' or shawl that had some Jewish influence. The trademark pleated fan, at the back of the mundu, was part of the attire even then.
The top portion of the 'mundu,' which is 5 meters long and 1.25 meter wide, was first folded up and pleats were added to make it more convenient for women while walking around. These artistically arranged pleats were also given the name 'adukku.' In fact the Malayali woman’s dressing concepts of the earlier version of 'davani' and later the quintessential saree can all be traced back to the humble 'chatta and mundu.' Even today, the saree blouse doesn’t have a Malayalam name, the closest is perhaps 'chatta' which was borrowed from Tamil.
The 'chatta and mundu' just went along with the times and took on stylized makeovers in the
form of saree and 'davani,' set and 'mundu,' blouse and 'mundu,' 'pattu pavada' and so on. The white and off-white combinations made way for colorful avatars, experimenting with materials, fashionable with sleeves that got long, short or even invisible with changing times.
The stylish and glamorous broaches, that was once upon a time worn to pin up the pleated
'kavani,' was later made part of the saree draping process. V-neck tops, in the 'chatta' model, ruled the fashion scene gradually. Cropped blouses and wrap-around skirts that are worn like the 'mundu' was the next entrant.