Dhoti Day gives new impetus to ethnic wear in Tamil Nadu

Dhoti, the traditional male dress code in Tamil Nadu once shunned by the younger generation, captured the centre stage with the state government’s proposal to mark January 6 as “Dhoti Day”.

On Wednesday, employees at the state Secretariat gave a pleasant surprise appearing in the traditional wear, while the state government allowed sale of dhotis in all its premises to promote the dress and help the weavers at the same time.

“I am observing dhoti day for the second consecutive year,” state government employee K S Kathiravan said.

Though the state-run Co-optex frantically worked to promote the “Veshti Day”, as it is known in Tamil Nadu, the concept of a special day for the dress seem to have acquired a genuinely universal flavour this year.

Besides state government employees, college students and techies have taken up with the idea. “I feel proud of wearing dhoti as it represents not only the state’s culture, but the culture of south India as a hole,” said G Venkatesh, a third-year student of a private college.

The presence of youngsters and middle-aged men shuffling across offices and college campuses in shimmering white dhotis is evidence that the concept has touched a large number of people this year.