What is ghera
Ghera is the size of the flare at the bottom of a lehenga, anarkali or skirt. Tailors and shops quote it in metres: a "5 meter ghera" or "5 meter flare" lehenga has a hem that measures 5 m all the way round. A bigger ghera gives a fuller, wider skirt; a small ghera hangs closer to the legs.
Ghera is not the fabric you buy. A 7.3 m ghera with 24 kalis takes 6.75 m of 44 in fabric in our calculator, because kalis are cut head to tail and several fit across the roll.
Ghera measurement: how to measure lehenga flare
- Lay the skirt flat on the floor with the side seams at the two edges and the hem smooth.
- Measure the hem along the bottom edge from one fold to the other with a soft tape. That is half the ghera.
- Double it. A flat hem of 2.5 m is a 5 m ghera.
- Cross-check by kali. Measure the hem of one kali and multiply by the kali count. 24 kalis with a 12 in hem each is 288 in, or 7.3 m.
Lehenga flare size: what 3, 4, 5, 6, 8 and 10 meter flare means
A quoted flare is the ghera. To reach it, the tailor sets the hem width of each kali: ghera in inches ÷ kali count. 1 m = 39.37 in.
| Flare (ghera) | Hem per kali, 12 kali | Hem per kali, 16 kali | Hem per kali, 24 kali |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 m flare | 9.8 in | 7.4 in | 4.9 in |
| 4 m flare | 13.1 in | 9.8 in | 6.6 in |
| 5 m flare | 16.4 in | 12.3 in | 8.2 in |
| 6 m flare | 19.7 in | 14.8 in | 9.8 in |
| 8 m flare | 26.2 in | 19.7 in | 13.1 in |
| 10 m flare | 32.8 in | 24.6 in | 16.4 in |
A very narrow hem per kali (a 3 m flare on 24 kalis) gives almost straight panels; a very wide one (10 m on 12 kalis) gives deep folds and more fabric. The lehenga calculator works out the metres for the kali count and roll width you pick.
Lehenga ghera and kali: cutting the flare
Each kali is a tapered panel: narrow at the waist (waist ÷ kali count, plus seam) and wide at the hem. More kalis at the same hem width per kali means more ghera. Kalis are cut alternately head to tail across the roll so the wide and narrow ends nest; the full layout and formula are in the kali lehenga fabric guide.
A circular (umbrella) skirt reaches its flare without separate kalis, so it has no side-by-side seams but leaves curved offcuts. For a skirt that is fitted to the knee and flares only below, see the fish cut lehenga cutting guide.
How to make a lehenga look fuller without more ghera
- Can-can petticoat: a stiff net underskirt holds the lehenga out so the same ghera looks wider.
- Net lining: a stiff net layer stitched inside adds body to light fabrics like georgette.
- Fabric choice: raw silk's crisp texture gives a stiff look that adds fullness, while georgette takes the shape of the body (Weaverstory lehenga fabric guide, Mar 2025). More on materials in the lehenga fabric material guide.
Frequently asked questions
What is ghera in English?
Ghera (घेरा) is the flare of a lehenga or skirt: the full round measurement of the hem. In English it is called the hem circumference, hem width or sweep.
What does a 6 meter flare lehenga mean?
It means the hem of the skirt measures 6 m all the way round. It does not mean 6 m of fabric. With 24 kalis, a 6 m ghera needs a hem of 9.8 in per kali.
How do you measure the ghera of a lehenga?
Lay the skirt flat with the side seams at the edges, measure the hem from one fold to the other, and double it. Or measure the hem of one kali and multiply by the number of kalis.
What is the difference between ghera and kali?
A kali is one tapered panel of the skirt. Ghera is the total hem round that all the kalis make together: kali count × hem width of one kali.
Does more ghera need more fabric?
Usually, yes. In our calculator a 12 kali skirt has a 4.9 m ghera and needs 3.5 m of 44 in fabric; a 24 kali skirt has a 7.3 m ghera and needs 6.75 m, at 40 in length (StitchMagic calculator defaults).
Related fabric guides
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