Hippie Subculture of Kasol, Himachal Pradesh

 

          Hippie Subculture of Kasol, Himachal Pradesh

– Yashasavi Sinha

It’s been more than 10 years now when on a trip to Kullu-Manali, while returning from Manikaran, we stopped for a quick bite at a tiny hamlet called Kasol. It is often called the hippie haven in the wilderness and signifies a perfect balance between locals and foreign tourists, mainly Israelis. To start with the village looked like any other place in north India but there was something unique about the place. The place had a large number of foreigners who were dressed differently, had long hairs, smoking and singing and were quite happy and content amongst themselves. There was something very fascinating and mesmerizing about the lot. The image stayed with me all these years unless I started pursuing my UG in Fashion and got the opportunity to explore and understand the fashion subculture of Hippies. 

Fashion can be seen as a component of culture and a subculture can be defined as a group that is based on a particular set of features of appearance, costume and accessories that makes its members distinct from a wider culture. Each subculture has its own rules and often has a social, cultural and political standpoint that is shared by its group members too.

A subculture is of people within a culture which differentiates them from the larger culture to which they belong.  Members of a subculture often signal their membership through a distinct style, which includes fashions, mannerisms, etc.

The hippie subculture was originally a youth movement that began in the United States during the early 1960s. Composed mostly of white teenagers and young adults, hippies inherited a tradition of cultural dissent. By mid-1960s, hippies had become an established social group in the U.S. and the movement eventually expanded to other countries.

These people created their own communities and used drugs to explore alternative states of consciousness. Hippies sought to free themselves from societal restrictions, choose their own way, and find new meaning in life. The hippies also opposed political and social orthodoxy, stood for peace, love and personal freedom, carried unusual standards of dressing and grooming, symbolized respect for individual choice, etc. Through their appearance, hippies declared their willingness to question authority, and distanced themselves from other segments of society.

The Hippies of Kasol have managed to keep themselves distinct form the society and their dress is gender neutral which mainly involves lose fitting pajamas, t-shirts or vests, etc. and hardly any jeans. The colours were mainly light shades and the male invariably have long knotted hairs, beards. Besides, while the accessories include caps, earrings, beads, bags, etc., the footwear are invariably simple sandals. The food has developed local flavors however, the music continues to maintain its original character. Despite their distinct culture and identity, the Hippies have assimilated themselves with the local culture of Kasol and established a stable equilibrium with the locals and sadhus.