A traditional article of clothing worn in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, consisting of a loose, collarless, long-sleeved, knee-length shirt worn by both men and women
A shirt that has bias cut panels on each side at the front and back These panels( godet) are stitched to the main body of the shirt and add extra body and the style of the shirt becomes A-Lined The panels may be added in the structural design of princess style line from the shoulder or arm hole, or from below the arms, attached to a small diamond shaped fabric The kurta is generally below the knee in length and may be worn with a shalwar, a pajama, a churridar or a laacha The kurta may or may not have side slits
Variously described in the dictionaries as "a tunic, waist coat, jacket, shirt", the kurta became popular in the 18th and 19th centuries essentially as a slightly loose-fitting garment for outer wear, often with a round neck, of knee-length or even longer, with side-slits at the hem and generally flared skirt It acquired great elegance as a garment in centers like Lucknow and Hyderabad