The Beypazarı region of Ankara is rich in culture. From local foods and jewellery to weaving and handicrafts, a visit reveals much about the people who live there. One tradition I learned about during my time in Beypazarı was the Bindalli dress.
What is a Bindalli dress?
The Bindalli is an elaborate garment that symbolizes the bond between mother and daughter. Handed down through generations, it is typically a long velvet robe richly embroidered with silver or gold thread, featuring traditional motifs and patterns.
Worn over everyday clothing, the dress is completed with a kusak, a decorative gold belt, and a cevreh, a square piece of cloth placed on the head. I tried on several Bindalli dresses at a local shop, enjoying the chance to play dress-up. They looked striking, although they didn’t pair well with my sports shoes and jeans.
One of the dresses, in particular, caught my eye because it seemed to carry a story.
The Bindalli dress from Beypazarı
This dress looked worn and fragile, with fabric and embroidery softened by many years of use.
The shopkeeper told me it was likely over a century old. When I asked where it had been found, she surprised me: someone had discarded it in the rubbish bin.
To an outsider, an antique embroidered Bindalli is a cultural treasure, but its monetary value may be limited. For those who understand the traditions of Beypazarı, however, such a garment holds real cultural and sentimental worth.
Living within a tradition can make its value seem ordinary to insiders, and family heirlooms are sometimes taken for granted. Discovering the Bindalli gave me a deeper appreciation for the customs of my adopted country and left me puzzled that anyone would throw away a piece of family history.
“One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.”
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