Ancient Indian Costume c5.s2.2

c5.s2.2

The *uttariya* was worn in several ways to suit the comforts of the wearer: very elegantly by those at court, who could drape it on both shoulders or one shoulder, or diagonally across the chest and casually knotted at the waist, or it could even be worn loosely across the back and supported by the elbows or wrist, and in many other ways according to the whims of the wearer. But for the labourer and the craftsman, it was more a practical garment to be tied around the head as protection from the sun, or tightly around the waist leaving the hands free for work, or again as a towel to mop the face when sweating. Its uses were endless for the poor sections of society and for them it would be made of coarse cotton.