Dhoti Explained

The dhoti, also known as mardani, jaiñboh, or panche, is a piece of cloth arranged around the waist and the legs, in resemblance to the shape of trousers.[1] [2] [3] The dhoti is a lower garment forming part of ethnic wear for men in the Indian subcontinent.[4] [5] The dhoti is fashioned out of a rectangular piece of unstitched cloth, usually around 5 ft to long.

The dhoti is considered to be the male counterpart of the saari worn by females to religious and secular ceremonies (functions).[6] A is a yellow silk dhoti worn on auspicious occasions.[7] [8] Dhotis must not be confused with "readymade panchakachams"[9] or "dhoti pants", which are a new ready to wear trend, popular among women and typical of children.[10] [11] [12] Although the terms mundu or veshti are used interchangeably with "dhoti",[13] they are different from the dhoti, which is "looped" or wrapped around the legs, in the form of trousers or pants.[14] The dhoti is better known as panchakacham in South India, which may even be worn while doing dances such as moonwalks, but the skirt-like form of the veshti has its limitations, according to fashionistas.[15] While the saari is still draped by women as daily wear, most Indian men no longer know how to wrap the dhoti,[16] as it has been displaced by "English clothes" of the British, in urban areas or cities such as Bombay (Mumbai).[17]

Etymology

It is also referred to as "dhautra" (IPA: /dʱɑwtɽɐ/) in Sanskrit, which means rope or cord. The dhoti evolved from the ancient antriya which was passed through the legs, tucked at the back and covered the legs loosely, then flowed into long pleats at front of the legs, the same way it is worn today as formal dhoti.[18] While a casual and short dhoti wraps around both legs firmly, in this style the back side of the dhoti is pulled to the front and tucked at the waist, before tucking the two loose ends at back, creating firmly fitted trouser-like dhoti that wraps around both legs. This style is more commonly worn by farmers and martial artists.[19] [20]

Names and styles

The garment is known by various names based on language, such as:

!Native script!Transliteration!Language or region
চুৰিয়া, ধুতিSuriya, DhutiAssamese
ধুতিDhutiBengali
ધૉતિયુDhotiyuGujarati
धोतीDhotīHindi, Maithili, Nepali and Pali
मर्दानीMardānīHindi
ಧೋತ್ರ
ಕಚ್ಚೆ ಪಂಚೆ		Dhotra
Kachche Panche		Kannada
धोंतर,
आंगोस्तर,
आड नेसचे,
पुडवे
Dhontara,
Āṅgostara,
Āḍa nesace
Puḍave		Konkani
മുണ്ട്Muṇṭ‌Malayalam
धोतरDhotara Marathi
ଧୋତିDhotīOdia
ਚਾਦਰਾChaadraPunjabi
வேட்டிVaettiTamil
పంచె, ధోవతిTelugu
Urdu: {{nq|دھوتیDhotiUrdu

Custom and usage

The pancha is worn by many conservative Jain men when they visit Derasars or Basadis for puja; unstitched clothing is believed by some Jains to be "less permeable to pollution" and therefore more appropriate for religious rituals than other garments.[21] They also wear a loose and unstitched cloth, shorter than the pancha on top.

Hare Krishna, known for its distinctive dress code, prompts Western adherents to wear pancha, usually of saffron or white cloth folded in ethnic Bengali style. Maharishi Mahesh Yogi was known for wearing a white silk dhoti.[22]

The dhoti has been ethnically worn by farmers, pehlwano (wrestlers) and shepherds (grazers) of the Sikhs in the Punjab region; it was discouraged during the Punjab Subah Movement, owing it to the inter-communal tensions prevalent at the time.[23] [24] The dhothi was also worn by South Canarese Christian men to their pre-nup ceremonies, Church weddings and receptions until the 1960s, when they fell out of favour; since then grooms have been styling the black suit and tie instead.[25]

There's a distinction between the lungi, a similar garment often worn by people at their homes, as it is more casual and comfortable, dhoti is sometimes even worn by secular politicians.[26]

At the height of the Indian Independence Movement, weaving was a symbol of the Swadeshi Movement. In 1921, the famed M K Gandhi himself championed only the dhoti often topless and without a kurta, to promote and identify with the weaves and handicrafts, produced by the rural and the poor of his homeland.[27] [28] [29]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Book: Company, Fideler. Life in Other Lands. Fideler. 1960. 78. It is arranged to look like a pair of baggy trousers. This garment is called a dhoti and is usually made of cotton.. 3 January 2021.
  2. Book: Bhandari, Vandana. Costume, Textiles and Jewellery [i.e. Jewelry] of India: Traditions in Rajasthan]. Mercury Books. 2005. 9781904668893. 105. One of the reasons for the dhoti's enduring popularity is its loose trouser - like form, which is convenient and extremely well - suited to the tropical Indian climate .. 3 January 2021.
  3. Book: K Parker, Lewis. India. Rourke Book Company. 1994. 9781559160056. 14. Boys and men often wear a dhoti. This is a piece of white cloth wound around the waist. Dhotis look like comfortable, baggy pants.. 3 January 2021.
  4. Web site: Indian Dhoti. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20200729202155/https://www.indianmirror.com/culture/clothing/dhoti.html. 29 July 2020. 3 January 2021. Indian Mirror.
  5. News: NAYAR . K.P. . 2 May 1999 . NEPAL WAKES UP TO DHOTI POWER . 16 August 2024 . The Telegraph (India).
  6. News: Avasthi. Vivek. 14 January 2020. Sarees for women, dhoti for men: Officer's dress code for Kashi temple irks minister. English. The Federal. live. 3 January 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20200805184620/https://thefederal.com/news/sarees-for-women-dhoti-for-men-officers-dress-code-for-kashi-temple-irks-minister/. 5 August 2020.
  7. Book: Henry, Baden Powell. Hand-book of the Economic Products of the Punjab (etc.): Forming ... to the hand-book of the economic products of the Punjab. 1872. Engineering College Press. 65, 67. en.
  8. Book: Birdwood, George Christopher Molesworth. The Industrial Arts of India. 1884. Chapman and Hall. 363. en.
  9. Web site: Madisars made to fit just right . https://web.archive.org/web/20240825090133/https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/chennai/2011/Jun/22/madisars-made-to-fit-just-right-265113.html . 25 August 2024 . 16 May 2012 .
  10. Web site: Doting Upon the Return of Dhoti Pants . https://web.archive.org/web/20220707084524/https://www.carrieschronicles.com/blog/2018/11/12/doting-upon-the-return-of-dhoti-pants . 7 July 2022 . 12 November 2018 .
  11. Web site: Latest Fashion, Trends and Style for Dhoti Kurta for Girls – FayonKids . https://web.archive.org/web/20220606054655/https://www.fayonkids.com/blogs/kidswear/dhoti-kurta-for-girls-latest-fashion-trends-and-styles . 6 June 2022 . 16 May 2022 .
  12. Web site: What are dhoti pants . https://web.archive.org/web/20101104105432/https://www.glamcheck.com/fashion/2010/04/07/what-are-dhoti-pants . 4 November 2010 .
  13. Web site: 2020 . What is Veshti . Rhythm Dhotis.
  14. News: Cocktail Conversations: Veshti Vs Dhoti . https://web.archive.org/web/20211112051459/https://m.economictimes.com/cocktail-conversations-veshti-vs-dhoti/articleshow/8324642.cms . 12 November 2021 . The Economic Times . 15 May 2011 . Dasgupta . Reshmi R. .
  15. News: Dhoti dynamics . https://web.archive.org/web/20150928081845/https://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/fashion/dhoti-dynamics/article7354043.ece . 28 September 2015 . The Hindu . 25 June 2015 .
  16. Web site: Why is Sabyasachi shaming women who can't drape sarees but not men who can't tie dhotis? . https://web.archive.org/web/20220810045556/https://theprint.in/opinion/sabyasachi-exercised-self-entitled-authority-remind-indian-women-values/35306/ . 10 August 2022 . . 13 February 2018 .
  17. Web site: I'm a 24-year-old Gandhian and I'm not ashamed to wear a dhoti everyday . https://web.archive.org/web/20240828070505/https://www.thenewsminute.com/amp/story/blog/i-m-24-year-old-gandhian-and-i-m-not-ashamed-wear-dhoti-everyday-37741 . 28 August 2024 . 4 January 2016 .
  18. Govind Sadashiv Ghurye (1951) Indian Costume
  19. Indian Costume by Govind Sadashiv Ghurye 1966
  20. Ancient Indian Costume By Roshen Alkazi 1996
  21. Book: Cort, John E . 2001 . Jains in the World: Religious Values and Ideology in India . Oxford University Press . 221 . 10.1093/0195132343.001.0001 . 9780195132342.
  22. News: Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, a Guide On the Beatles' Spiritual Path, Dies . Lily . Koppel . New York Times . 6 February 2008 . C.10 .
  23. Book: East of Indus: My Memories of Old Punjab . 9788170103608 . Brard . Gurnam Singh Sidhu . 2007 . Hemkunt Press .
  24. Book: Dynamics of Punjabi Suba Movement . 9788176291293 . Lamba . Krishan Gopal . 1999 . Deep & Deep Publications .
  25. The Marriage Customs of the Christians in South Canara, India . 1177555 . Silva . Severine . Fuchs . Stephen . Asian Folklore Studies . 1965 . 24 . 2 . 1–52 . 10.2307/1177555 .
  26. Web site: No Dhotis Please, We're Indian. McLain. Sean. 23 July 2014. Wall Street Journal. en-US. 3 November 2017.
  27. Web site: Gandhi - Weaving a nation together. Sankaralingam. Sathrukkan. 2 September 2020. Minister White Blog. en-US. 2 September 2020. 11 October 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201011005702/https://www.ministerwhite.com/blogs/blogs/gandhi-weaving-a-nation-together. dead.
  28. Web site: What made Gandhiji wear only Loincloth or Dhoti. 7 October 2021. pib.gov.in.
  29. Web site: Importance of Veshties in Tamil Culture. Ramraj Cotton. 13 July 2022.

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