How to wear a dhoti

Pancha wearers are predominant in the states of Tamilnadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Maharastra, Karnataka, Bihar, West Bengal, and Orissa. In the northern parts of Gujarat and southern parts of Rajasthan the Pancha is worn with a short kurta called kediya on top. In northern India and Bihar, West Bengal, the garment is worn with a kurta on top, the combination known simply as dhoti kurta. In Tamil Nadu, it is worn with an vaetti (another unstitched cloth draped over the shoulders) or else with a chokka (shirt) in Andhra Pradesh or jubba (a local version of kurta). The lungi is a similar piece of cloth worn in a similar manner.

How do I tie a dhoti?
The dhoti is tied around the waist in the middle of its length. The whole process needs to be performed standing up. It is a complex operation, and some steps for a simple tying up of dhoti are elucidated below-

a. Take the dhoti in the middle of its length. Wrap the dhoti around the waist in the middle of its length such that each of your hand holds one side of the dhoti. You can let rest of the cloth fall to the ground and need to catch only the upper end of piece of cloth near you.

b. At this stage, your backside (hips) are covered by the dhoti. The two sides of the cloth are in your front . Make a knot using the upper end of both sides of cloth near your stomach. You will need to make two knots to ensure that knot does not get untied. At this stage both of your hands should be free, the middle portion of the dhoti should be wrapped around your legs, and upper end of both sides should be tied together in two knots on your stomach. The remaining portion of each side is free and should be falling on the ground.

c. Take the extreme end of "right side end" in your hand. Bring this end between your legs and tuck it into your waist at the back.

d. Take the extreme end of the "left side end" in your hand. Bring this end between your legs and tuck it into your waist at the back.

It is a bit complicated process. If you are not able to understand it and tie it properly, please send us another email, and we will try to explain it further.