Mohanlal Chaturvedi Reward Points : 20700 Member Since : Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Dhoti is an attire of eminence, Dhoti is the costume of most of the national icons too. Ranging from the ministers, politicians, national leaders, to the cultural cultivators , like musicians, poets, and men of letters, represent the nation, being Dhoti clad. Do u agree ?
Posted On : 4/8/2009 1:58:20 AM
Maya Chowdhury Reward Points : 13600 Member Since : Monday, January 05, 2009
Indeed, dhoti was the insignia of national tradition, a strong pillar of Ghandhi s championing of indigenous culture , in the face of the oppressive enforcement cast by the British regime in India. The glorification of Dhoti, was a constituent programme of Satyagraha movement, initiated by the venerated Bapu, the Father of India, Gandhi, during the national war of Independence in India. Gandhi, himself used to be dressed in Dhoti, to personify the teeming millions of the country, starting ftrom the humble farmers to the elite class, as all had Dhoti as their common dress. Dhoti , in this hi-tech age, is till date, the daily garment for many regions, in India. Forexample, the regal Rajputs, proudly display themselves in Dhoti.
Posted On : 4/8/2009 2:45:57 AM
Maniam PS [Guru] Reward Points : 137200 Member Since : Wednesday, March 18, 2009
The dhoti or doti in Hindi, called suriya in Assamese, pancha in Telugu, Laacha in Punjabi, mundu in Malayalam, dhuti in Bangla, veshti in Tamil, dhotar in Marathi and panche in Kannada, is the traditional garment of men s wear in India. It is a rectangular piece of unstitched cloth, usually around 7 yards long, wrapped around the waist and the legs, and knotted at the waist. In northern India, the garment is worn with a Kurta on top, the combination known simply as dhoti kurta , or a dhuti panjabi in the East. In Tamil Nadu, it is worn with an angavastram another unstitched cloth draped over the shoulders or else with a chokka shirt in Andhra Pradesh or jubba a local version of kurta . The lungi is a similar piece of cloth worn in similar manner, though only on informal occasions. The lungi is not as long and is basically a bigger version of a towel worn to fight the extremely hot weather in India. The sarong is another similar item of clothing. The dhoti is considered formal wear all over the country. It is eminently acceptable wherever formal wear is bespoken or enjoined in India. Apart from all government and traditional family functions, the dhoti is also deemed acceptable at posh country clubs and at other establishments that enforce strict formal dress codes. The garment enjoys a similar, eminent status across the Indian subcontinent, particularly in Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives. In many of these countries, the garment has become something of a mascot of cultural assertion, being greatly favoured by politicians and cultural icons such as classical musicians, poets and literatteurs. Thus, the dhoti for many has taken on a more cultural nuance while the suit-and-tie or, in less formal occasions, the ubiquitous shirt and pants, are seen as standard formal and semi-formal wear. The garment is known as the vaeshtti in Tamil Nadu and Mundu in Kerala. It is called pancha in Andhra Pradesh and panche in Karnataka and dhuti in bengal. The word is related to the Sanskrit pancha meaning five this may be a reference to the fact that a 5-yard-long strip of cloth is used. It is also related to the sanskrit word dhuvati .In one elaborate south Indian style of draping the garment, five knots are used to wrap the garment, and this also is sometimes held to have originated the word. It is usually white or cream in colour, although colourful hues are used for specific religious occasions or sometimes to create more vivid ensembles. Off- white dhuti is generally worn by the groom in bengali weddings. White or turmeric-yellow is the prescribed hues to be worn by men at their weddings and upanayanams. Silk panchas, called Magatam or Pattu Pancha in Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh respectively, are often used on these special occasions. Vermilion-red dhotis, called sowlay , is often used by priests at temples, especially in Maharashtra. Kings and poets used rich colors and elaborate gold-thread embroideries. Cotton dhotis suit the climatic conditions for daily usage. Silk panchas are suited for special occasions and are expensive. There are several different ways of draping the panchas. The two most popular ones in south India are the plain wrap and the Pancha katcham or five knots or five folds . The first style is mostly seen in south India as shown in picture. It is a simple wrap around the waist and resembles a long skirt. It will be folded in half up to knees while working. Second style is folding around the waist in the middle of the garment and tying the top ends in the front like a belt and tucking the falling left and right ends in the back. The North Indian style, worn in the West by devotees of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, consists of folding the cloth in half, taking the left side, pleating it vertically, passing it between the legs and tucking it in the waist at the back. The right side is pleated horizontally and tucked in the waist at the front. Along with dhoti, the angavastram or thundu an extra piece of cloth will be draped depending on the usage. Farmers carry it on one shoulder and treat it as sweat towel. Bride grooms use it as entire upper garment. It will be folded decoratively around the waist while dancing. South Indian Hindu priests wrap about the waist as the extra layer. North Indian priests especially those of ISKCON may drape it across the body with two corners tied at the shoulder
Dhoti is known by different names in various states and languages. Punjabis call it Laacha , Malayalamis , the Mundu , Bengalis, the Dhuti , The Tamilians, refer it as Vaetti, people of Telegu, the Pancha, Marathis, the Dhotar and those of Kannada , pronounce it as Panche. In the north and the east of India, the natives don themselves in Dhoti, topped off by a upper Kurta, called as Panjabi in the east of India, especially in Bengal. Telegu Dhoti The pairing , undergoes a change in the south of India.There, a Dhoti,is associated by angavastram, an unstitched piece of cloth passed around the shoulders . This definitely, augments the dignity in the outlook of the wearer. Sometimes, in place of an angavastram, a chokka, a version of shirt or jubba , a local type of kurta . A dhoti is the coventional male costume for attending official meetings, or ceremonial occcassions, in the entire nation. Even, today s young generation, flaunt themselves in Dhotis, ornately designed , happen to be their foremost priority , during festivals, social-gatherings and ceremonies.It not only furnishes them with an ethnic look, which is the in-thing now, but oivcreasesthe element of dignity, related to manliness.
Posted On : 4/11/2009 3:03:06 AM
sudarshan Reward Points : 100 Member Since : Friday, July 24, 2009
Thank you for such a detailed writing. even now we have somuch to say about the dresses in india fo reducated and non educated people of other countries. it would be great if we have a picture of each style and also a graphic tgo show how to fold and wear the different styles. the other day i was looking for the methods of wearing a tie and there are so many with a very detailed pictures and drawings. kindly try to put that kind o f work here will be appreciated by one and all. for me i have not much knowledge on how to wear this pancha but i wear it in the simplest form long skirt kind Thanks somuch again best regards Sudarshan
Dhoti, The Attire Of Eminence
