A traditional Indian garment for men consisting of a rectangular piece of unstitched cloth wrapped around the waist and legs. It is typically white or cream colored and considered formal or ceremonial wear.
From Hindi धोती (dhotī) derived from Sanskrit धौत (dhauta) meaning 'washed' or 'cleansed', referring to the white, clean cloth traditionally used. The term entered English in the 19th century through British administrative and anthropological writings about Indian customs.
The dhoti's name literally means 'washed cloth' because it was traditionally made from handwoven white cotton that symbolized purity! Gandhi made the dhoti a powerful political symbol by wearing it to meetings with British officials, representing Indian self-sufficiency and rejection of foreign cloth.
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