To start, hold the fabric horizontally behind you. Make sure the colored bands are at the top (at your waist) and facing outward.
With the material from the left side, pull the cloth taut and wrap it around your waist. Hold the cloth at your right hip, letting the excess drape down your side to the ground. Wrap the material from the right side around your waist and hold it at your left hip. Pull the material so it’s snug around your waist. At the waist, fold the material down by about an inch (2. 5 cm). Then fold it again by another inch to hold it in place. [2] X Research source
Pick up the top layer of material that’s hanging from your left hip. Hold the material straight out in front of you. Make a two- to four-inch (five- to 10-cm) vertical fold in the end of the material to fold the fabric back on itself toward your body. Make a second accordion-style fold in the material in the same way. Continue making folds like this until you’ve made about six accordion folds in the fabric. Tuck the top three or four inches (7. 5 to 10 cm) of the folded material into the waistband of the cloth. [3] X Research source
Make six vertical accordion folds in the end of the material, folding the fabric back toward your body as before. Tuck the top three or four inches (7. 5 to 10 cm) of the folded material into the waistband of the cloth, on top of the first fold. [5] X Research source
Hold the material from the right side of your body in front of you. Smooth it out so it isn’t twisted or bunched up. Hold the corner of the fabric and orient it so the decorative band on the horizontal edge is vertical in front of you. Make about 10 accordion folds in the fabric, until you have folded the entire vertical panel of fabric. Flatten and smooth out the material so the folds are neat and straight. [6] X Research source
Grab the folded material from the back and pull it out so it’s over the top of the cloth wrapped around your waist. Make sure the material hasn’t become twisted. Bring the top of the folds to your waist and tuck the top three or four inches (7. 5 to 10 cm) of the fold into the waistband of the cloth. [7] X Research source The fabric going between your legs should be snug, but not tight or painful.
Hold the fabric horizontally behind you. Wrap the fabric around your hips and waist, and bring it to the front of your body. Adjust the fabric so you have equal amounts of fabric on the right and left sides. [8] X Research source
Let the rest of the fabric hang loose in front of you. [9] X Research source
Make four-inch (10-cm) accordion pleats in the fabric. Fold the material back toward the top left corner, so that you fold the entire vertical panel of the fabric back on itself.
Tuck the top four inches (10 cm) of the folded fabric into the waistband of the fabric at the center of your back. [10] X Research source
Center the folded material at your waist and tuck the top four inches into the waistband of the fabric. [11] X Research source
When you tuck in the extra fold, tuck it in slightly off-centre, to the left of the original fold. [12] X Research source
Lacha (Punjabi) Dhoti (Bengali) Panache (Kannada) Veshti (Tamil) Pancha (Telugu) Mundu or veshti (Malayalam) Dhoti (Marathi)
You’re a pilgrim visiting Sabarimala. Wear a black or navy dhoti for this purpose. You’re an ascetic or Hare Krishna. Wear a saffron dhoti to signify this.
The groom and all the members of the groom’s wedding party will wear dhotis during a traditional wedding. [15] X Research source Men often wear the dhoti to temple and during worship, especially in southern India. [16] X Research source The dhoti is also worn during traditional family occasions, celebrations and for cultural events.
In northern India, the pancha kachcham is often worn with the kurta, which is a type of collarless shirt. [17] X Research source In the south of India, the dhoti is often paired with the Angavastram or the chokka, which are both unstitched pieces of cloth. The angavastram and chokka get draped over the shoulders. [18] X Research source It’s not necessary to wear undergarments with it. The dhoti is popular in hot climates, so it’s important to keep cool by wearing fewer layers. [19] X Research source
