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The Dhoti (called 'Mundu' in Malayalam, 'Dhuti' in Bangla, "Veshti" in Tamil, "Pancha" in Telugu and "Panche" in Kannada) is the original and timeless garment of men's wear in India. It is a rectangular piece of unstitched cloth wrapped about the waist and the legs. 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 southern India, it is worn with an Angavastram (another unstitched cloth draped over the shoulders) or else with a "Chokka"(shirt) or "Jubba"(a local version of the kurta). The Lungi is a similar piece of cloth worn in a not dissimilar manner, though in India it is worn only in informal settings.
Custom and usage
The dhoti is the traditional male garment of India. It is considered a garment ideally suited to the hot tropical summer weather in India and its use extends back to the earliest known period. Indeed, although many modes of draping the dhoti obtained from very ancient times, almost no mode of male clothing other than a length of unstitched cloth appears to have been known in India until the 10th century AD, when the salwar (loose, stitched trousers) made its appearance in northwest India. The dhoti also closely resembles the Indian female garment, the Sari; experts regard such resemblance as being evidence of the garment being used in that society from the earliest times. The dhoti (although not mentioned as such in Sanskrit texts) might be the modern-day descendant of the adhivas, a single-piece lower garment of the Vedic period. The dhoti of course finds resonance in the loincloths of the aboriginal tribes of India.
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 Sri Lanka, the Maldives and Bangladesh. 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.
In southern India, the garment is worn at all cultural occasions and traditional ceremonies. The bride-groom in a south Indian wedding and the host/main male participant of other rituals and ceremonies have necessarily to be dressed in the traditional dhoti while performing the ceremonies. Many of the more important temples in southern India demand that males entering the precincts of the temple be dressed formally in "Veshti" and "Angavastram".
Unspoken rules of etiquette govern the way the dhoti is worn. In south India, men will occasionally fold the garment in half to resemble a short skirt when working, cycling, etc., and this reveals the legs from the knee downwards. However, it is considered disrespectful to speak to women or to one's social superiors with the dhoti folded up in this manner. When faced with such a social situation, the fold of the dhoti is loosened with an imperceptible flick of the hand and allowed to flutter down and cover the legs completely.
Dhotis are worn by western adherents of the Hare Krishna movement, which is known for promoting a distinctive dress code amongst its practitioners, with followers wearing saffron or white coloured cloth, folded in the traditional style. Mahatma Gandhi invariably wore a dhoti on public occasions. The genteel Bengali man is stereotyped in popular culture as wearing expensive perfumes, a light kurta and an elaborate dhoti whilst feverishly discussing politics and literature.
Over the past century or more, western styles of clothing have been steadily gaining ground in the region, gradually rendering the dhoti a garment for home-wear, not generally worn to work. It is less popular among the youth in major metropolises and is viewed as rustic, unfashionable and not 'hep' enough for the younger age-set. However, use of the dhoti as a garment of daily use and homewear continues largely unabated.
Styles and varieties
The garment is known as the "Veshti" in the south Indian states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala. It is called pancha in Andhra Pradesh and panche in Karnataka. The word is related to the Sanskrit "Pancha" meaning "five"; this may be a reference either to the fact that a 5-yard-long strip of cloth is used. 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. In the style that is more prevalent and usual in south India, only a single knot is called for.
It is usually white or cream in colour, although colourful hues are used for specific religious occasions or sometimes to create more vivid ensembles. White or turmeric-yellow is the prescribed hues to be worn by men at their weddings and upanayanams. Silk dhotis, called Magatam or Pattu Pancha in , are often used on these special occasions. Vermilion-red dhotis 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 dhotis are suited for special occasions and are expensive.
There are several different ways of draping the dhoti. The two most popular ones 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. This style resembles loose baggy pants and is a preferred style for classical dance. Panchakatcham is mixture of both styles. One end will be folded lengthwise and tucked in the back, and the other end will be folded breadth wise and tucked in the middle front.
Along with dhoti, the Angavastram (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. Priests wrap about the waist as the extra layer.
It is also worn in East Africa, mainly by the Somalis and Afars, it is called a ma'awees.