The dhoti, also known as veshti, vetti, dhuti, mardani, chaadra, dhotar, jaiñboh, panchey, is a type of
sarong
A sarong or sarung () is a large tube or length of fabric, often wrapped around the waist, worn in Southeast Asia, South Asia, Western Asia, Northern Africa, East Africa, West Africa, and on many Pacific islands. The fabric often has woven plaid o ...
, tied in a manner that outwardly resembles "loose
trousers". It is a lower garment forming part of the
ethnic costume for men in the
Indian subcontinent
The Indian subcontinent is a list of the physiographic regions of the world, physiographical region in United Nations geoscheme for Asia#Southern Asia, Southern Asia. It is situated on the Indian Plate, projecting southwards into the Indian O ...
. The ''dhoti'' is fashioned out of a rectangular piece of unstitched cloth, usually around long, wrapped around the waist and the legs and knotted, either in the front or the back.
![An_Indian_dancer_in_dhoti,_wrapped_around_his_waist](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3d/An_Indian_dancer_in_dhoti%2C_wrapped_around_his_waist.jpg)
The ''dhoti'' is touted as the male counterpart of the ''
sari
A sari (sometimes also saree or shari)The name of the garment in various regional languages include:
* as, শাৰী, xārī, translit-std=ISO
* bn, শাড়ি, śāṛi, translit-std=ISO
* gu, સાડી, sāḍī, translit-std= ...
'' worn by females to religious and secular
ceremonies
A ceremony (, ) is a unified ritualistic event with a purpose, usually consisting of a number of artistic components, performed on a special occasion.
The word may be of Etruscan origin, via the Latin '' caerimonia''.
Church and civil (secular) ...
(
functions). is a yellow silk dhoti, worn on auspicious occasions. The dhoti which is worn around the lower
waist
The waist is the part of the abdomen between the rib cage and hips. On people with slim bodies, the waist is the narrowest part of the torso.
''Waistline'' refers to the horizontal line where the waist is narrowest, or to the general appearan ...
and drawn up in between the legs, is a 5-yard-long piece of
woven fabric; it must not be confused with pre-
stitched "dhoti pants", which are a new
ready to wear trend these days, popular among women and typical of children.
Etymology
The word ''dhoti'' is derived from ''dhauti'' (
Sanskrit
Sanskrit (; attributively , ; nominally , , ) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in South Asia after its predecessor languages had diffused there from the northwest in the late ...
: धौती), translated "to cleanse" or "to wash". In the context of clothing, it simply refers to the cleansed garment which was worn as part of everyday attire
[Govind Sadashiv Ghurye (1951) ''Indian Costume''] 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.
[ While a casual and short dhoti wraps around both legs firmly, in this style the back side of 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.
]
Names and styles
The garment is known by various names, such as:
Custom and usage
The ''pancha'' is worn by many conservative Jain
Jainism ( ), also known as Jain Dharma, is an Indian religion. Jainism traces its spiritual ideas and history through the succession of twenty-four tirthankaras (supreme preachers of ''Dharma''), with the first in the current time cycle being ...
men when they visit ''Derasar
A Jain temple, Derasar (Gujarati: દેરાસર) or Basadi (Kannada: ಬಸದಿ) is the place of worship for Jains, the followers of Jainism. Jain architecture is essentially restricted to temples and monasteries, and Jain buildings gen ...
s'' or ''Basadi''s 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. 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
Saffron () is a spice derived from the flower of ''Crocus sativus'', commonly known as the "saffron crocus". The vivid crimson stigma and styles, called threads, are collected and dried for use mainly as a seasoning and colouring agent i ...
or white cloth folded in a traditional style. was known for wearing a white silk dhoti.
The ''dhoti'' has been ethnically worn by farmer
A farmer is a person engaged in agriculture, raising living organisms for food or raw materials. The term usually applies to people who do some combination of raising field crops, orchards, vineyards, poultry, or other livestock. A farmer mig ...
s, ''pehlwano'' (wrestlers) and shepherd
A shepherd or sheepherder is a person who tends, herds, feeds, or guards flocks of sheep. ''Shepherd'' derives from Old English ''sceaphierde (''sceap'' 'sheep' + ''hierde'' 'herder'). ''Shepherding is one of the world's oldest occupations, i ...
s (grazers) of the Sikhs
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 ...
in the Punjab region
Punjab (; Punjabi Language, Punjabi: پنجاب ; ਪੰਜਾਬ ; ; also Romanization, romanised as ''Panjāb'' or ''Panj-Āb'') is a geopolitical, cultural, and historical region in South Asia, specifically in the northern part of the I ...
; it was discouraged during the Punjab Subah Movement, owing it to the inter-communal tensions prevalent at the time. The ''dhothi'' was also worn by South Canarese Christian men to their pre-nup
A prenuptial agreement, antenuptial agreement, or premarital agreement (commonly referred to as a prenup), is a written contract entered into by a couple prior to marriage or a civil union that enables them to select and control many of the leg ...
ceremonies, Church weddings and receptions until the 1960s
File:1960s montage.png, Clockwise from top left: U.S. soldiers during the Vietnam War; the Beatles led the British Invasion of the U.S. music market; a half-a-million people participate in the 1969 Woodstock Festival; Neil Armstrong and Buzz ...
, when they fell out of favour; since then groom
A bridegroom (often shortened to groom) is a man who is about to be married or who is newlywed.
When marrying, the bridegroom's future spouse (if female) is usually referred to as the bride. A bridegroom is typically attended by a best man an ...
s have been styling the black suit and tie
A suit, lounge suit, or business suit is a set of clothes comprising a suit jacket and trousers of identical textiles worn with a collared dress shirt, necktie, and dress shoes. A skirt suit is similar, but with a matching skirt instead of tr ...
instead.
In India, 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. At the height of the Indian Independence Movement
The Indian independence movement was a series of historic events with the ultimate aim of ending British Raj, British rule in India. It lasted from 1857 to 1947.
The first nationalistic revolutionary movement for Indian independence emerged ...
, weaving was a symbol of the '' Swadeshi Movement''. In 1921, the famed M K Gandhi himself championed the ''dhoti'' to identify with and to promote, the weaves and other handicrafts produced by the rural and the poor of his homeland.
See also
*Dhoti Lota Aur Chowpatty
''Dhoti Lota Aur Chowpatty'' is a 1975 Bollywood comedy film directed by Mohan Choti and noted for its large cast and guest appearances. The film was released under the banner of Mohan Choti Production.
Cast
*Mohan Choti as Mohan Choti
*Dharme ...
* Khadi
* Khādī Development and Village Industries Commission
The Khadii and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) is a statutory body formed in April 1957 by the Government of India, under the Act of Parliament, 'Khadi and Village Industries Commission Act of 1956'. It is an apex organisation under the M ...
* Kilt
A kilt ( gd, fèileadh ; Irish: ''féileadh'') is a garment resembling a wrap-around knee-length skirt, made of twill woven worsted wool with heavy pleats at the sides and back and traditionally a tartan pattern. Originating in the Scottish Hi ...
* Lederhosen
* Longyi
A longyi (; ) is a sheet of cloth widely worn in Burma (Myanmar). It is approximately long and wide. The cloth is often sewn into a cylindrical shape. It is worn around the waist, running to the feet, and held in place by folding fabric over wi ...
* Mundu
* Malong
* Sompot
A ''sampot'' ( km, សំពត់, ), a long, rectangular cloth worn around the lower body, is a traditional dress in Cambodia. It can be draped and folded in several different ways. The traditional dress is similar to the dhoti of Southern As ...
* Sompot Chong Kben
''Sompot Chong Kben'' ( km, សំពត់ចងក្បិន, ; th, โจงกระเบน, ; lo, ຜ້າຫາງ, ''pha hang'') is a unisex, lower body, wraparound cloth worn in the countries of Cambodia, Laos, and Thailand. It is ...
* Sarong
A sarong or sarung () is a large tube or length of fabric, often wrapped around the waist, worn in Southeast Asia, South Asia, Western Asia, Northern Africa, East Africa, West Africa, and on many Pacific islands. The fabric often has woven plaid o ...
* Shendyt
The shendyt (šnḏyt, Schenti, Schent, Shent, Skent) was a type of loincloth similar to a skirt. It was a kilt
A kilt ( gd, fèileadh ; Irish: ''féileadh'') is a garment resembling a wrap-around knee-length skirt, made of twill woven wor ...
* Toga
* Harem pants
References
{{Folk costume
Hindu religious clothing
Indian clothing
Pakistani clothing
Folk costumes