Daura-Suruwal(दौरा सुरुवाल) is one of the national outfit of Nepalese men.[1]The Daura is a variant of theKurtaand is the upper garment, the Suruwal is the trouser. The coat was added to the costume byJang Bahadur Rana,a prime minister of Nepal in the 19th century. The outfit is also popular inDarjeelingin neighbouringIndiaamongst people of Indian Gorkha origin.[2]
History
editDaura Suruwal is a modern variant of the Tapālan (Nepal Bhasa:तपालं) which has been the traditional clothing ofNewarmen. It used to be traditionally worn as men's common costume consisting of a long shirt calledtapālanwith tight fitting trousers known assuruwā(Nepal Bhasa:सुरुवा:). A waistcoat or a coat along with a cap called tapulī / topī (Nepal Bhasa:तपुली) would complete the garb.
Style
editInNepal,the traditional male dress, which is also the national dress, is the Nepali shirt called daura[3]and suruwal (Nepali:दौरा सुरूवाल)[4]or daura-suruwal suit. According to Hussein (2018), "the daura is a closed-neck shirt with five pleats and eight strings that serve to tie it around the body".[5]
The upper garment is similar to the Gujaratikediyu,but does not have the pleats going across the chest, but has cross-tied flaps.[6][7]
The Nepali suruwa/suruwal is a combination of the churidar[8][9]and the lower garment worn in the coastal regions ofGujarat,especiallySaurashtraandKutchwhere the garment is also called suruwal[4](and chorno/kafni). It is tight along the legs but wide at the hips.[10]However, the suruwal fits comfortably around the legs so that it can be tapered tightly around the ankles.[11]
The Nepalese Prime MinisterBir Shamsher Jang Bahadur Ranawore the Daura-Suruwal on an unofficial visit to the United Kingdom in the 19th century, which popularised the costume further in Nepal. Janga Bahadur Rana introduced the coat to Nepal in the 19th century. He was presented a coat by the then Queen of the United Kingdom, as a gift. He started the tradition of wearing a coat with the Daura suruwal. Men also wear the Daura Suruwal with a waistcoat.
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Daura suruwal, Nepal's national male dress. -
Prithvi Narayan Shah of Nepal in daura shalwar. -
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Religious beliefs
editThe Daura has eight strings used to tie the Daura which are denoted as Astamatrika-Singini:
- Byagini
- Kumari
- Barahi
- Brahmayani
- Indrayani
- Maheshowri
- Byasnabi
- Mahalaxmi
According to Nepali mythology, eight is a lucky number. The pleats or Kallis signify the Pancha Buddha or Pancha Ratna. The closed neck of the Daura signifies the snake around the Lord Shiva’s neck.[12][13]
References
edit- ^"About Daura Suruwal".Rastriya Daurua Suruwal. Archived fromthe originalon 13 July 2010.Retrieved11 October2019.
- ^"Darjis for Darj - Nepali Times".nepalitimes.Retrieved25 May2015.
- ^Bindloss, Joseph (15 September 2010).Nepal 8.Lonely Planet.ISBN9781742203614– via Google Books.
- ^abNepali, Gopal Singh (1965).The Newars: an ethni-sociological study of a Himalayan community.[1]
- ^Hussein, Nazia (2018) Rethinking New Womanhood: Practices of Gender, Class, Culture and Religion in South Asia. Springer.[2]
- ^Croos, J.P (1996).The Call of Nepal: a personal Nepalese odyssey in a different dimension.[3]
- ^Tulasī Rāma Vaidya, Triratna Mānandhara, Shankar Lal Joshi (1993) Social history of Nepal[4]
- ^"The Muslim World League Journal".Press and Publications Department, Muslim World League. 1 March 2003 – via Google Books.
- ^Acharya, Madhu Raman (2002) Nepal culture shift!: reinventing culture in the Himalayan kingdom[5]
- ^West Bengal District Gazetteers: Darjiling, by Amiya Kumar Banerji... [et al (1980)[6]
- ^Tetley, Brian (1 January 1991).The insider's guide to Nepal.Gregory's.ISBN9780731903825– via Google Books.
- ^*Official Address of Rastriya Daura Suruwal Tailors, an oldest tailors of Nepal, specialized in sewing Daura Suruwal [7]
- ^"MYREPUBLICA - News in English from Nepal: Fast, Full & Factual News".myrepublica.Archived fromthe originalon 28 May 2015.Retrieved25 May2015.