The dupattā is a
Hindu
Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism.Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...
shawl traditionally worn by women in
Indian subcontinent to cover the head and shoulders.
The dupatta is currently used most commonly as part of the women's
shalwar kameez
Shalwar kameez (also salwar kameez and less commonly shalwar qameez) is a traditional combination dress worn by women, and in some regions by men, in South Asia, and Central Asia.
''Shalwars'' are trousers which are atypically wide at the wa ...
outfit, and worn over the
kurta and the
gharara.
Etymology
The
Hindi-Urdu word ''dupattā'' (दुपट्टा, دوپٹہ), meaning "shawl of doubled cloth," derived from
Middle Indic elements stemming from
Sanskrit, is a combination of ''du-'' (meaning "two", from Sanskrit ''dvau'', "two" and ''dvi-'', combining form of dvau) and ''paṭṭā'' (meaning "strip of cloth," from ''paṭṭaḥ''), i. e., scarf usually doubled over the head.
History
Early evidence of the dupatta can be traced to the
Indus valley civilization
The Indus Valley Civilisation (IVC), also known as the Indus Civilisation was a Bronze Age civilisation in the northwestern regions of South Asia, lasting from 3300 BCE to 1300 BCE, and in its mature form 2600 BCE to 1900&n ...
, where the sculpture of a priest-king whose left shoulder is covered with some kind of a
chaddar suggests that the use of the dupatta dates back to this early
Indic culture.
Early
Sanskrit literature has a wide vocabulary of terms for the veils and scarfs used by women during the ancient period, such as ''avagunthana'' (cloak-veil), ''uttariya'' (shoulder-veil), ''mukha-pata'' (face-veil), and ''siro-vastra'' (head-veil). The dupatta is believed to have evolved from the ancient
uttariya.
Use
The dupatta is worn in many regional styles across South Asia. Originally, it was worn as a symbol of modesty. While that symbolism still continues, many today wear it as just a decorative accessory. There is no single way of wearing the dupatta, and as time evolves and fashion modernizes, the style of the dupatta has also evolved.
A dupatta is traditionally worn across both shoulders and around the head. However, the dupatta can be worn like a cape around the entire torso. The material for the dupatta varies according to the suit. There are various modes of wearing dupatta. When not draped over the head in the traditional style, it is usually worn with the middle portion of the dupatta resting on the chest like a garland, with the ends thrown over each shoulder. When the dupatta is worn with the
shalwar-kameez, it is casually allowed to flow down the front and back. In current fashions, the dupatta is frequently draped over one shoulder, and even over just the arms. Another recent trend is the short dupatta, which is more a scarf or a
stole, often worn with a
kurti and Indo-Western clothing. Essentially, the dupatta is often treated as an accessory in current urban fashion.
In addition to wearing the dupatta when going out in public, South Asian women wear the dupatta when entering a
mandir
A Hindu temple, or ''mandir'' or ''koil'' in Indian languages, is a house, seat and body of divinity for Hindus. It is a structure designed to bring human beings and gods together through worship, sacrifice, and devotion.; Quote: "The Hind ...
,
mosque,
dargah,
church or
gurdwara.
It is also draped around the head, save for the eyes, as protection against pollution or the sun. In the context of the
COVID-19 pandemic, it was not considered adequate for use as a cloth face mask.
A dupatta used as a covering for the head and face is called a
ghoonghat in north India and Pakistan. In Nepal a dupatta or similar shawl is called a ''pachaura''.
Gallery
File:Covered in pink (13295718893).jpg, The dupatta's use as protection against dust or the sun
File:Bedi Mahal-Lady with blue chunni.JPG, A Punjabi Sikh
Sikhs ( or ; pa, ਸਿੱਖ, ' ) are people who adhere to Sikhism (Sikhi), a monotheistic religion that originated in the late 15th century in the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent, based on the revelation of Guru Nanak. The term ...
woman with blue chunni
File:Dopatta.jpg, A dupatta shop in Dhaka, Bangladesh
File:A Dupatta Store in Aziz Super Market, Dhaka 07-01-2019.jpg, A dupatta shop in Dhaka, Bangladesh
File:Bandhani Dupatta (5788125979).jpg, Bandhani dupatta
File:A Day Out With Friends (12300991844).jpg, A Bangladeshi draped in dupatta
File:Woman of Nepal (13060777254).jpg, A Nepali in a modern style of draping dupatta over the neck
File:Sikh woman.jpg, A Sikh in a salwar kameez
References
External links
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{{Clothing in South Asia
Scarves
Bangladeshi clothing
Indian clothing
Punjabi clothing
Pakistani headgear
Robes and cloaks
History of Asian clothing
Islamic female clothing