Gagra choli garment, the "uttariya" veil worn over shoulder or head and "stanapatta" a chestband, which finds mentioned in Sanskrit literature and Buddhist Pali literature during the 6th century B.C. A "choli" (Hindi: चोली, ), ("ravike" in South India Telugu: రవికె, Kannada: ರವಿಕೆ) is a midriff-baring blouse commonly worn with the Indian sari costume (worn in India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal and other surrounding countries). It evolved from the ancient "Stanapatta" (also known as "Kanchuki") and is cut to fit tightly to the body with its short sleeves and low neck. The choli is usually cropped, allowing exposure of the navel;
Midriff Midriff In fashion, the midriff is the human abdomen. The midriff is exposed when wearing a crop top or some forms of swimwear. The cholis worn by Indian women exposes a thin section of midriff, usually 4 to 5 inches. "Midriff" is an old term in the English language, coming into use before 1000 AD. In Old English it was written as "midhrif", with the old word "hrif" literally meaning stomach; in Middle English it was "mydryf". The word fell into obsolescence after the 18th century. The word was revived in 1941 by the fashion industry, partly to avoid use