Description : Brightly colored multi-purpose scarf worn by women in India. The dupatta is an essential component of several women's outfits, including the salwar kameez, the kurta and the choli ghaghra.
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Preferred fabrics : cotton, Georgette, silk, chiffon, etc.
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Uses worldwide : A dupatta is traditionally worn across both shoulders. However, the dupatta can also be worn like a cape around the entire torso. It has long been a symbol of modesty in South Asian dress.
There are various modes of wearing an unsewn dupatta. When not draped over the head in the traditional style, it is usually worn with the middle portion of the dupatta resting on the chest like a garland with both ends thrown over each respective shoulder. When the dupatta is worn along with the salwar-kameez it generally drapes down the front and back. In current fashions, the dupatta is frequently draped over one shoulder, and even over just the arms. Another recent trend is the short dupatta often seen with kurtas and Indo-Western clothing. Today, the dupatta is often treated as an accessory.
Origins and history : A sculpture from Harrapa, featuring some kind of a chaddar, suggests that the use of the dupatta dates back to the early Indus Valley Civilization, around 2200 B.C.. From here it spread across the Indian subcontinent, especially during the rule of the Mughal Empire in the 16th and 17th centuries.
Alternate names : chadar (Pakistan), orni, chunri, chunni, orna, unni, dopata
Related or similar garments : Scarf.
Wikipedia reference


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