Dhoti

The dhoti, also known as mardani, jaiñboh, or panche, 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, usually around 5 yards or 4.6 metres (15 ft) long.^[7]

The dhoti is considered to be the male counterpart of the saari, worn by females to religious & secular ceremonies (functions).^[8][9] A pitambar is a yellow silk dhoti worn on auspicious occasions.^[10][11] Dhotis must not be confused with "readymade panchakachams"^[12] or "dhoti pants", which are a new ready to wear trend, popular among women and typical of children.^[13][14][15] Although the terms mundu or veshti are used interchangeably with "dhoti",^[16] they are different from the dhoti, which is "looped" or wrapped around the legs, in the form of trousers or pants.^[17] The dhoti is better known as panchakacham in South India, which may even be worn while doing dances such as moonwalks, but the skirt-like form of the veshti has its limitations, according to fashionistas.^[18] While the saari is still draped by women as daily wear, most Indian men no longer know how to wrap the dhoti,^[19] as it has been displaced by the "English clothes" of the British, in urban areas like Bombay (Mumbai).^[20]