Dhotar or Dhoti

Districts / Region

Maharashtra, India.

Unique Features

The men in rural Maharashtra are seen wearing a Dhotar or 
Dhoti. A Dhoti is a single piece of cloth tucked around the 
waist. Dhoti covers the entire leg till the ankle. The colour of 
Dhotis usually ranges from saffron, cream or white. Dhoti is an 
unstitched piece of clothing that does not require any proper 
measurements.
Feta is the headdress Marathi men wear. Feta is even known 
as a 'topi' too. It is a headcover usually made up of cotton. 
Travellers and people working outside, under the sun 
especially wear this. It is also worn at ceremonies and 
festivals.
Maharashtrian men usually wear cotton tops or Kurtas along 
with Dhoti. They are useful in the hot and humid conditions 
that exist in Maharashtra. These tops are thin and loose and 
usually white in colour. The Maharashtrian men occasionally 
wear waistcoat-s that make the Maharashtrian attire look more 
formal and proper. It is useful keeping in mind the local 
climatic conditions which do not allow men to wear normal 
coats or overcoats.
Traditionally the men wear simple but sturdy footwear. Their 
footwears are open sandals making them comfortable for them 
to wear. The sandals are strong and sturdy footwear that are 
prepared from leather.
Traditionally women wear sarees that are nine yards long. 
There are many variations in how women wear their saree. 
Some only wear knee-length sarees. Some of the women like 
to wear it in a skirt manner without the tuck in the middle. 
However, the 9-yard saree is the traditional costume of 
women in Maharashtra State. Women do not use separate 
headwear as the men do and hence, it is noticing that they 
simply use the end of their sarees to cover their heads.
The Maharashtrian women wear choli or blouse underneath 
the saree to cover the upper half of the body. Similar to men's 
clothing, women's clothing is also made up of cotton and 
sometimes silk. 
Nath or a nose ring is part of the traditional Maharashtrian 
attire for women. They are normally made up of gold, pearls, 
rubies and emeralds. Different kinds of jewellery are also part 
of their traditional attire. A Mangalsutra, green bangles and 
sindoor on the forehead are enough to recognise a married 
Maharashtrian woman. Toe rings are also an important part of 
a Maharashtrian woman’s attire. 
It is a reality that, due to urbanisation, a majority of 
Maharashtrian people have adapted the western style of 
clothing and even a merger of the Indian and western styles 
(kurta and pants etc.). However, elderly people still prefer to 
wear traditional clothes. For them, comfort is a subsidiary to 
tradition.