Do you aware of in India, there is a unique outfit which eradicates the difference between men and women in the early 22 hundred years ago and presented the same sense of dress? in ancient times it was called Ontario but today it is named dhoti or lungi.
Dhoti which is called panache, veshti, dhuti, mardana, Chandra,vetti, or rainbow and is also called dhoti is a kind of garment which looks like loose trousers, it is a lower garment forming part of the ethnic costume for men in the Indian subcontinent. But the trousers are so comfortable and airy. The dhoti is fashioned out of a rectangular piece of unstitched cloth around 4.5 5 meters long wrapped around the waist and the legs, either front or back.
Likewise, the lungi is a sarong that originates from the Indian subcontinent and looks like a skirt worn under the waist near the umbilical region. Dhoti word originated from the Hindi word data which is also called Pancha or dhuvati where Pancha means paanch the name was given because of using of 5 gaj cloth.
Maurya& Greek dynasty 321bce-185bce
In the time of the Greek and Maurya era, the dhoti wore with a kamarband (belt) which is called me khala or asana which wore by both men and women both genders.
Chola vansh kingdom 501ce-1100ce
On the other hand, historian believes that the concept of dhoti came from Sothern India during the period of Chola vansh in between the 6th to a 10th-century ad in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu when there was the rule of Cholas. Suddenly dhoti got its popularity in southern India.
Pre-independence era 1857-1947
The biggest credit goes to the great leader of Indian history mahatma Gandhi. On 22 September 1921, Madurai adopted the dhoti and shawl to connect local Indians. In the past, the way dhoti was worn told you the man’s caste, his occupation and also gave you an idea of his income. Those who worked in the fields wore the half dhoti so that the cloth didn’t get soiled by the mud. Mahatma Gandhi took on this style after he met starving farmers toiling in fields in Madurai.
Unfortunately in comparison to the dhoti, the lungi not got deserving respect in history, but after that lungi wore by a large population and is popular among a large population not only in South India but common in every Indian household but the countries such Pakistan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Somalia Asian countries Malaysia, Indonesia wore as a local outfit.
Different cultures and different styles
The style depends on different cultures and regions in Kerala both men and women both wear a lungi which is called a Kaili &kalli mundu mainly carried by labourers. Were white lungi called veshti were Karnataka & Tamil Nadu called lungi and mundu was in the northern part of India in Punjab called &lacha wore while dancing the bhangra wore by both men and women.
The most special thing about the lungi it fits with every culture and style. People use to wear It with a kurta, shirt or tunic which gives an extra edge to their style.
Dhoti wore in maximum states of northern India, even in Gujarat, Maharashtra even popular in west Bengal, mainly dhoti worn by people at the time of religious ceremonies, and occasions even marriage rituals, especially by the priest, wear it in an everyday basis.
Even in Bollywood movies Dilip Kumar to Ranveer Singh and many Bollywood actors wore a dhoti in their movies on the other hand lungi wore in many south Indian movies which show actors as tough and macho in Chennai express Shahrukh khan and Deepika Padukone carried the lungi with themselves dance on lungi dance which became very popular, at last, but not least there is a special place of dhoti in our culture we should feel proud on these desi Indian outfit introduced to the whole world which is a unique combination of style and comfort.
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