Though traditionally worn by the women folk in the rural belts of Indian states like Gujarat and Rajasthan, the lehenga choli is also popular as bridal attire in the urban parts of India. It is also known by the name of Ghagra Choli.
Nowadays, many variations have seeped into the lehenga designs. The bridal lehenga is not limited to red color. People are also opting for multi-colored or pastel-shade lehengas now. Similarly, the skirt can be double layered and stylishly embellished with zari and precious stones.
The lehenga, being a bridal dress, is kept and handled very diligently before and after the wedding by women. Since a bride has to stand out from rest of the decked up guests, her dress is the most heavily embellished. It's normal for it to weigh at least 10 kilograms or more. As such, it generally makes for a one time wear.
Though lehenga is essentially a bridal dress, it does not mean that people cannot wear it during normal parties and festivities. In this case, the design of the lehenga varies and it may not be so heavily embellished. For instance, lehenga is also worn by women of all age-groups. But when donned by young girls, the skirt may be teemed with a halter-neck blouse or a backless choli. People just vary the design, color and embroidery of the ghagra to make it suitable for different occasions. [source : Lehenga Choli]
