Dhoti

  1. Home
  2. Wiki
For the far western area of the Nepalese region, see Doti.

A Dogra dancer wears a dhoti, at a theatre in Jammu.

The dhoti is an ankle-length breechcloth,[1] wrapped around the waist and the legs, in resemblance to the shape of trousers.[2][3][4] The dhoti is a garment of ethnic wear for men in the Indian subcontinent.[5][6] The dhoti is fashioned out of a rectangular piece of unstitched cloth, of usually around 4 yards (3.7 m) in length.[7][8]

An illustration of dhoti-clad recruits in the British Indian Army.

The dhoti is the male counterpart of the sari, worn by females to religious and secular ceremonies (functions).[9][10][11] A pitambar is a yellow silk dhoti worn on auspicious occasions.[12][13] Dhotis must not be confused with "readymade panchakachams"[14] or "dhoti pants", which are a new ready to wear trend, popular among women and typical of children.[15][16][17] Although the terms mundu or veshti are used interchangeably with "dhoti",[18] they are different from the dhoti, which is "looped" or wrapped around the legs, in the form of trousers or pants.[19] The dhoti is better known as panchakacham in South India, which may even be worn while doing dances such as moonwalks.[20]

Etymology

[edit]

The unstitched dhoti is also referred to as "dhautra" (IPA: /dʱɑwtrɐ/) in Sanskrit, which means rope or cord. It evolved from the ancient antriya, which was passed in between 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.[21]: 130  While a casual and short dhoti wraps around both legs firmly, in this style the back side of the 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.[22][23] Stitched garments became popular in the Indian subcontinent, with the coming of Persians, Greeks, and "barbarians"; nonetheless, the dhoti prevailed in sakaccha as well as vikaccha forms.[24]

History

[edit]
Ashoka of the Mauryan Empire depicted on the Amaravati Stupa, 1st century CE.

The dhoti evolved from the ancient antariya, which was passed in between 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.[25]   A l and short dhoti wraps around both legs firmly, in this style the back side of the 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. According to G. S. Ghurye, this style is more commonly worn by farmers and martial artists.[25][26]

The earliest epigraphical depictions of the Dhoti were during the Mauryan Empire. In the Sunga period, there were two broad modes of wearing the dhoti, the sakaccha and the vikaccha.[27] Stitched garments became popular in the Indian subcontinent, with the coming of Persians, Greeks, and "barbarians"; nonetheless, the dhoti prevailed in sakaccha as well as vikaccha forms.[28] In the sakaccha way, the cloth passed between the legs and was tucked at the back; vikaccha meant wearing the dhoti similar to a lungi.[29]

M K Gandhi in 1935

During British rule in colonial India, the dhoti remained a national symbol of resistance and cultural identity when worn without a shirt.[30][31][32] At the height of the Indian Independence Movement, weaving khadi was a symbol of the swadeshi movement.[33] In 1921, Gandhi championed the dhoti, often topless (without a kurta or shirt), to promote and identify with the handicrafts produced by the rural and the poor of his homeland.[34][35]

Names

[edit]
Relief depicting men in anatariya and uttariya, 1st century CE
A Manipuri dancer dressed as Krishna in yellow dhoti
Khasi folk dancers wearing "Jaiñboh" dhotis and other ethnic garb

The garment is known by various names based on language, such as:

Native script Transliteration Language or region
চুৰিয়া, ধুতি Suriya, Dhuti Assamese
ধুতি Dhuti Bengali
ધૉતિયુ Dhotiyu Gujarati
धोती Dhotī Hindi, Maithili, Nepali and Pali
मर्दानी Mardānī Hindi
ಧೋತ್ರ
ಕಚ್ಚೆ ಪಂಚೆ 		Dhotra
Kachche Panche 		Kannada
धोंतर,
आंगोस्तर,
आड नेसचे,
पुडवे
Dhontar,
Āṅgostara,
Āḍa nesace
Puḍave 		Konkani
മുണ്ട് Muṇṭ‌ Malayalam
धोतर Dhotar a Marathi
ଧୋତି Dhotī Odia
ਚਾਦਰਾ Chaadar Punjabi
வேட்டி Vaetti Tamil
పంచె, ధోవతి Pañce Telugu
دھوتی Dhoti Urdu
a In Marathi, a dhotar is not the same as a pancha (plural panche).
While the former is worn around the waist, the latter is normally a towel used after bathing (compare below).

Custom and usage

[edit]

The pancha is worn by many conservative Jain men when they visit derasars or basadis for puja, as unstitched clothing is believed by some Jains to be "less permeable to pollution" and therefore more appropriate for religious rituals than other garments.[36] They also wear a loose and unstitched cloth, shorter than the pancha on top.

A Benaresi man in dhoti with a Central Asian kurta, in Uttar Pradesh.

The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), known for its distinctive dress code, prompts Western adherents to wear pancha, usually of saffron or white cloth folded in ethnic Bengali style. Maharishi Mahesh Yogi was known for wearing a white silk dhoti.[37] Traditionally, men wear the dhoti topless (without upper garments) while entering certain mandirs (Hindu temples) in South India, as stitched garments supposedly counter the energy of the idol.[38][39][40][41] The dhoti is often worn with a shirt in other places.[42]

The dhoti was also worn by Sikhs in the Punjab region, etc. Wearing Dhotis was discouraged during the Punjab Subah Movement due to the inter-communal tensions prevalent at the time.[43][44] The dhothi was also worn by South Canarese Christian men to their pre-nuptial ceremonies, church weddings & receptions until the 1960s;[45] after which they fell out of favour, since then, grooms have been styling the black suit and tie instead.

A man in dhoti paired with a short kurta in Rajasthan

There is a distinction between the dhoti and the lungi, a similar garment often worn by people at their homes. The lungi is more casual and comfortable, while the dhoti is considered formal and is sometimes worn by politicians.[46]

Decline

[edit]

The use of dhoti an as article of clothing has declined in comparison to it's historical prominence in the Indian Subcontinent. However they are still used in both secular & religious practices[47][48] While the sari is still draped by many women as daily wear, few men know how to wrap the dhoti and use it every day.[49] The dhoti has been displaced by Western fashion of the British and the United States, in urban areas such as Bombay (Mumbai).[50] Historically, there were variations in the styles of wrapping the dhoti based on castes, as in the case of Bombay's Sonars and the Peshva Brahmins. Therefore, English attire has been described as "caste neutral".[51][52][53] Dhotis are more prevalent rural India, which reports having more traditional association of the garment.[49] Yet, men in dhotis are commonly perceived and discriminated as rural and poor in places such as shopping malls.[54] Additionally, with the introduction of kurta-pyjama sets from Central Asia, during the Mughal Empire, pyjamas are often worn instead of dhotis as ethnic menswear.[55][56]

[edit]
Mundu (dhoti) wearing spectators of theyyam.
Kalaripayattu martial artists wearing the kalari dhoti.
A white mundu worn with a black shirt.
A veshti worn with shirt.

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Dhoti.
  1. ^ Singh, Amar; Rudolph, Lloyd I.; Kanota, Mohan Singh (2001). Reversing the Gaze: Amar Singh's Diary, a Colonial Subject's Narrative of Imperial India. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-565869-9.
  2. ^ Life in Other Lands. Fideler. 1960. p. 78. Retrieved 3 January 2021. It is arranged to look like a pair of baggy trousers. This garment is called a dhoti and is usually made of cotton.
  3. ^ Bhandari, Vandana (2005). Costume, Textiles and Jewellery [i.e. Jewelry] of India: Traditions in Rajasthan. Mercury Books. p. 105. ISBN 9781904668893. Retrieved 3 January 2021. One of the reasons for the dhoti's enduring popularity is its loose trouser - like form, which is convenient and extremely well - suited to the tropical Indian climate .
  4. ^ K Parker, Lewis (1994). India. Rourke Book Company. p. 14. ISBN 9781559160056. Retrieved 3 January 2021. Boys and men often wear a dhoti. This is a piece of white cloth wound around the waist. Dhotis look like comfortable, baggy pants.
  5. ^ "Indian Dhoti". Indian Mirror. Archived from the original on 29 July 2020. Retrieved 3 January 2021.
  6. ^ Nayar, K P (2 May 1999). "Nepal Wakes Up to Dhoti Power". The Telegraph (India). Retrieved 16 August 2024.
  7. ^ "Why a sari is both hot, and cool". The Times of India. 15 March 2015.
  8. ^ Snodgrass, Mary Ellen (17 March 2015). World Clothing and Fashion: An Encyclopedia of History, Culture, and Social Influence. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-317-45166-2.
  9. ^ Phd, Alloy S Ihuah (2 August 2012). Philosophy, Religion and Politics: Essays in Honour of Very Rev. Fr. Moses Orshio Adasu. Lulu.com. ISBN 978-1-300-01966-4.
  10. ^ "City women get talking about dresscode in temples". The Times of India. 3 December 2016. Archived from the original on 14 January 2025.
  11. ^ Avasthi, Vivek (14 January 2020). "Sarees for women, dhoti for men: Officer's dress code for Kashi temple irks minister". The Federal. Archived from the original on 5 August 2020. Retrieved 3 January 2021.
  12. ^ Henry, Baden Powell (1872). Hand-book of the Economic Products of the Punjab (etc.): Forming ... to the hand-book of the economic products of the Punjab. Engineering College Press. pp. 65, 67.
  13. ^ Birdwood, George Christopher Molesworth (1884). The Industrial Arts of India. Chapman and Hall. p. 363.
  14. ^ "Madisars made to fit just right". 16 May 2012. Archived from the original on 25 August 2024.
  15. ^ "Doting Upon the Return of Dhoti Pants". 12 November 2018. Archived from the original on 7 July 2022.
  16. ^ "Latest Fashion, Trends and Style for Dhoti Kurta for Girls – FayonKids". 16 May 2022. Archived from the original on 6 June 2022.
  17. ^ "What are dhoti pants". Archived from the original on 4 November 2010.
  18. ^ "What is Veshti". Rhythm Dhotis. 2020.
  19. ^ Dasgupta, Reshmi R. (15 May 2011). "Cocktail Conversations: Veshti Vs Dhoti". The Economic Times. Archived from the original on 12 November 2021.
  20. ^ "Dhoti dynamics". The Hindu. 25 June 2015. Archived from the original on 10 October 2024.
  21. ^ Govind Sadashiv Ghurye (1951) Indian Costume
  22. ^ Indian Costume by Govind Sadashiv Ghurye 1966
  23. ^ Ancient Indian Costume By Roshen Alkazi 1996
  24. ^ Walker, Benjamin (9 April 2019). Hindu World: An Encyclopedic Survey of Hinduism. In Two Volumes. Volume I A-L. Routledge. ISBN 978-0-429-62465-0.
  25. ^ a b Ghurye, Govind (1951). Indian Costume. p. 130.
  26. ^ Meister, Michael W.; Alkazi, Roshen (October 1985). "Ancient Indian Costume". Journal of the American Oriental Society. 105 (4): 806. doi:10.2307/602804. ISSN 0003-0279.
  27. ^ Ayyar, Sulochana (1987). Costumes and Ornaments as Depicted in the Sculptures of Gwalior Museum. Mittal Publications. ISBN 978-81-7099-002-4.
  28. ^ Walker, Benjamin (2019). Hindu World: An Encyclopedic Survey of Hinduism. in Two Volumes. Volume I A-L. Routledge Library Editions: Hinduism Ser. Milton: Routledge. ISBN 978-0-429-62465-0.
  29. ^ "Stylistic Changes in the Costumes and Jewellery in Indian Art".
  30. ^ "Opinion | Half-Naked Fakir Meets Overdressed King". The New York Times. 19 October 1986. Archived from the original on 24 May 2015.
  31. ^ "Gandhi Jayanti: When Mahatma Gandhi turned 'half-naked fakir' in Tamil Nadu | art and culture | Hindustan Times". Hindustan Times. 2 October 2019. Archived from the original on 3 October 2019.
  32. ^ "Half Naked Fakir | About Gandhi | Articles on and by Gandhi". Archived from the original on 10 August 2024.
  33. ^ Sankaralingam, Sathrukkan (2 September 2020). "Gandhi - Weaving a nation together". Minister White Blog. Archived from the original on 11 October 2020. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
  34. ^ "What made Gandhiji wear only Loincloth or Dhoti". pib.gov.in. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  35. ^ "Importance of Veshties in Tamil Culture". Ramraj Cotton. Retrieved 13 July 2022.
  36. ^ Cort, John E (2001). Jains in the World: Religious Values and Ideology in India. Oxford University Press. p. 221. doi:10.1093/0195132343.001.0001. ISBN 9780195132342.
  37. ^ Koppel, Lily (6 February 2008). "Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, a Guide On the Beatles' Spiritual Path, Dies". New York Times. p. C.10.
  38. ^ "City women get talking about dresscode in temples". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 22 January 2025.
  39. ^ "Karnataka: Rigid dress code put in place at Mahabaleshwar temple". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 22 January 2025.
  40. ^ "Sartorial quirkiness".
  41. ^ "Who says god likes topless men but not jeans?". The Times of India. 10 January 2016. Archived from the original on 1 March 2021.
  42. ^ "Census of India, 1961". 1962.
  43. ^ Brard, Gurnam Singh Sidhu (2007). East of Indus: My Memories of Old Punjab. Hemkunt Press. ISBN 9788170103608.
  44. ^ Lamba, Krishan Gopal (1999). Dynamics of Punjabi Suba Movement. Deep & Deep Publications. ISBN 9788176291293.
  45. ^ Silva, Severine; Fuchs, Stephen (1965). "The Marriage Customs of the Christians in South Canara, India". Asian Folklore Studies. 24 (2): 1–52. doi:10.2307/1177555. JSTOR 1177555.
  46. ^ McLain, Sean (23 July 2014). "No Dhotis Please, We're Indian". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 3 November 2017.
  47. ^ "City women get talking about dresscode in temples". The Times of India. 3 December 2016. Archived from the original on 14 January 2025.
  48. ^ Avasthi, Vivek (14 January 2020). "Sarees for women, dhoti for men: Officer's dress code for Kashi temple irks minister". The Federal. Archived from the original on 5 August 2020. Retrieved 3 January 2021.
  49. ^ a b Desai (1967). The Emerging Youth. Popular Prakashan. ISBN 978-81-7154-422-6.
  50. ^ "I'm a 24-year-old Gandhian and I'm not ashamed to wear a dhoti everyday". 4 January 2016. Archived from the original on 28 August 2024.
  51. ^ Ambedkar, Bhimrao (20 November 2024). Destruction of Caste. Diamond Pocket Books Pvt. ISBN 978-93-6318-452-7.
  52. ^ George, Rosemary Marangoly (2016). Indian English and the fiction of national literature. Cambridge New York: Cambridge university press. ISBN 978-1-107-04000-7.
  53. ^ Ambedkar, B. R. (7 October 2014). Annihilation of Caste: The Annotated Critical Edition. Verso Books. ISBN 978-1-78168-830-4.
  54. ^ Misra, Shubhangi (18 July 2024). "Indians look down on men in dhotis. It's a by-product of colonialism and disdain for the poor". ThePrint. Archived from the original on 18 July 2024. Retrieved 20 September 2025.
  55. ^ Patel, Nirmal (27 August 2023). "Dynamics Evolution of Men's Ethnic Wear in Style & Comfort - KALKI Fashion Blog". Kalki Fashion Blog – Latest Fashion Trends, Bridal Fashion, Style Tips, News and Many More. Archived from the original on 2 March 2025. Retrieved 20 September 2025.
  56. ^ Bijolia, Disha. "Tracing The Origins Of The Indian Kurta". Homegrown. Archived from the original on 31 January 2023. Retrieved 20 September 2025.