Pathin is a wrap-around skirt worn by the women of the
Hajong tribe of the
Indian subcontinent
The Indian subcontinent is a physiographic region of Asia below the Himalayas which projects into the Indian Ocean between the Bay of Bengal to the east and the Arabian Sea to the west. It is now divided between Bangladesh, India, and Pakista ...
in Northeast India and Bangladesh.
[Hajong, B. (2002). ''The Hajongs and their struggle.'' Assam, Janata Press.] It covers the upper and lower part of the body from the bust until the
calf of the leg. Women in the upper class wore a long pathin which would fall down to the floor while women in the lower class wore a shorter pathin whose length reaches to the ankle.
The pathin is a horizontally striped, colourful, rectangular piece of cloth with alternate symmetric layers of different colours between red stripes and thick horizontal borders called chapa. Pathins are woven in traditional looms known as 'Sipni Bana' and 'Sal Bana'. It is operated with hands and does not require the use of feet. Pathins are also used to make
mekhelas in
Assam
Assam (, , ) is a state in Northeast India, northeastern India, south of the eastern Himalayas along the Brahmaputra Valley, Brahmaputra and Barak River valleys. Assam covers an area of . It is the second largest state in Northeast India, nor ...
.
Gallery
File:Hajong girls in traditional clothing.jpg, Hajong girls in traditional Rang'a Pathin.
File:Traditional Hajong Dancers.jpg, Ranga Pathin and Phule' Argon.
File:Hajong woman by the field.jpg, While working in the fields, the pathin is fastened with a sash, which is also used as an apron.
File:Dancing Hajong women.jpg, Hajong dancers of Assam
Assam (, , ) is a state in Northeast India, northeastern India, south of the eastern Himalayas along the Brahmaputra Valley, Brahmaputra and Barak River valleys. Assam covers an area of . It is the second largest state in Northeast India, nor ...
.
File:Nurdawa.jpg, The process of Nurdawa, one of the steps involved in the process of weaving a pathin.
File:Hajong women in traditional clothing and ornaments.jpg, Women of the Giri class wore pathin that would cover the feet and their ornaments.
See also
*
Dhoti
The dhoti is an ankle-length breechcloth, wrapped around the waist and the legs, in resemblance to the shape of trousers. The dhoti is a garment of ethnic wear for men in the Indian subcontinent. The dhoti is fashioned out of a rectangular p ...
*
Kira (Bhutan)
The kira () is the national dress for women in Bhutan. It is an ankle-length dress consisting of a rectangular piece of woven fabric. It is wrapped and folded around the body and is pinned at both shoulders, usually with silver brooches (named '' ...
*
Rignai
*
Argon (clothing)
References
Hajong culture
Culture of Meghalaya
Indian clothing
History of Asian clothing
Shawls and wraps
Indian shawls and wraps
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