Daura-Suruwal

Daura-Suruwal (दौरा सुरुवाल) is one of the national outfit of Nepalese men.[1] The Daura is a variant of the Kurta and is the upper garment, the Suruwal is the trouser. The coat was added to the costume by Jang Bahadur Rana, a prime minister of Nepal in the 19th century. The outfit is also popular in Darjeeling in neighbouring India amongst people of Nepali origin.[2]

Daura Suruwal, Nepal's male dress

History
Main article: Newar traditional clothing

Daura Suruwal is a modern variant of the Tapālan (Nepal Bhasa: तपालं) which has been the traditional clothing of Newar men. It used to be traditionally worn as men's common costume consisting of a long shirt called tapālan with tight fitting trousers known as suruwā (Nepal Bhasa: सुरुवा:). A waistcoat or a coat along with a cap called tapulī / topī (Nepal Bhasa: तपुली) would complete the garb.

Style

In Nepal, 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 Gujarati kediyu, but does not have the pleats going across the chest, but has cross-tied flaps.[6] The daura is a modification of the upper garments worn in Rajasthan.[7]

The Nepali suruwa/suruwal is a combination of the churidar[8][9] and the lower garment worn in the coastal regions of Gujarat, especially Saurashtra and Kutch where 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 Minister Bir Shamsher Jang Bahadur Rana wore 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. Mean also wear the Daura Suruwal with a waistcoat.


  • Newar men in tapālan and suruwā, c. 1940
  • Newar men in tapālan suruwā and Western coats, c. 1930
  • Daura suruwal, Nepal's national male dress.
  • Prithvi Narayan Shah of Nepal in daura shalwar.

Religious beliefs

The 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
  1. "About Daura Suruwal". Rastriya Daurua Suruwal. Archived from the original on 13 July 2010. Retrieved 11 October 2019.
  2. "Darjis for Darj - Nepali Times". nepalitimes.com. Retrieved 25 May 2015.
  3. Bindloss, Joseph (15 September 2010). Nepal 8. Lonely Planet. ISBN 9781742203614 – via Google Books.
  4. Nepali, Gopal Singh (1965). The Newars: an ethni-sociological study of a Himalayan community.
  5. Hussein, Nazia (2018) Rethinking New Womanhood: Practices of Gender, Class, Culture and Religion in South Asia. Springer.
  6. Croos, J.P (1996). The Call of Nepal: a personal Nepalese odyssey in a different dimension.
  7. Tulasī Rāma Vaidya, Triratna Mānandhara, Shankar Lal Joshi (1993) Social history of Nepal
  8. "The Muslim World League Journal". Press and Publications Department, Muslim World League. 1 March 2003 – via Google Books.
  9. Acharya, Madhu Raman (2002) Nepal culture shift!: reinventing culture in the Himalayan kingdom
  10. West Bengal District Gazetteers: Darjiling, by Amiya Kumar Banerji ... [et al (1980)
  11. Tetley, Brian (1 January 1991). The insider's guide to Nepal. Gregory's. ISBN 9780731903825 – via Google Books.
  13. "MYREPUBLICA.com - News in English from Nepal: Fast, Full & Factual News". myrepublica.com. Archived from the original on 28 May 2015. Retrieved 25 May 2015.
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