Veshti

A veshti^[1] (Tamil: வேட்டி), also known as vēṭṭi, is a white unstitched cloth wrap for the lower body in Tamil Nadu and in the North and East of Sri Lanka. Vēṭṭi is a part of the traditional attire consisting of Kurta and Angvastra. The garment is a single piece of cloth and similar to the dhoti, one of the earliest draped garments of India. A vēṭṭi is often layered with horizontal stripes or borders across its length.

Tamil Brahmins (Iyers and Iyengars) in traditional veshti and angavastram at a convention of the Mylai Tamil Sangam, circa 1930s

Style

Like many wrap clothes, the vēṭṭi varies in wearing style. It is often simply wrapped around the waist, secured by a corner being tucked beneath the wrapped cloth. It is also worn as Sarong, unlike dhoti, which is looped between the legs.^[2] A belt is also used over it (less popular now) just below the closing.^[3]

Men and women both wear it. For women, the drape is known as vēṭṭi -mundu.^[3][4]

Political identity

Various border (Saffron, red, green, and blue) colors of vēṭṭi represent different political parties' identities in India.^[2][5]

See also

• Sari
• Tamil Nadu