A Legend of Lustful Lungi

By Faiz Al-Najdi

Lungis are generally worn in most parts of the Indo-Pak Subcontinent; that is in almost all parts of India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Pakistan. In Pakistan, however, it is mostly donned in the Punjab (and in some parts of Sindh), where it is generally called Dhoti. In the Indian & Pakistani parts of Punjab, unlike other places of the Subcontinent, Lungis are worn by both the genders. Men wear a vest like piece at the top, while women wear a blouse over Dhoti, which is the other name of Lungi in these regions. Men’s Lungi is normally of plain or checked cotton while the women Dhoti & blouse are usually multi-colored with some fancy embroidery on it. Now days, some trendy new fashion designs of women Dhoti & blouse, in very appealing & attractive style, are also in vogue.

Nonetheless here in Saudi Arabia conspicuously prominent amongst all, sported with Lungi, are the Bangladeshis and the Keralite Indians. For both thee people, Lungi is a National Dress sort of thing. The Keralites are from Kerala, a southern State of India on the Arabian Sea. They are also known as Malabaris or Malyalees and even Mallus, as their short title; because of Malyalam language that they speak.

Lungis are also seen clothed by both men & women folks in the South East Asian countries namely: Burma, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines. However, in these regions, Lungis are called “sarong”. They are kaleidoscopic in color & design having Batik touch; are also very attractive to look at, especially those dressed by the young women. Some special brands are even worn by the Yemenis in the Arabian peninsula.

For those of you who don’t have the slightest idea as to what really is a Lungi, it suffices to say that it is like ankle-length skirt sort of dress (stitched & enclosed or unstitched & open), that is tied & tucked around the waists. Men normally wear the same in combination with a shirt and/or a cotton vest or simply topless, especially during the summer. Women wear a blouse or a bush-shirt on top. By the way, a lungi is a very versatile attire; when worn in full it is a formal dress acceptable in the society at all places including parties, offices or alike. Nonetheless, it can be lifted & folded & tucked-in easily to convert it to a mini-Lungi or a short for use in the sports, or for any other purpose wherein shorts would be forthcoming. You can also pull/raise the ends of the Lungi around and pass them between your legs & tuck them up into the part that’s tied around waist already, making it a kind of ballooney-shorts. In short, Lungis can be worn in a number of ways & combinations as the occasion may demand.

The Malabaris are known to be immensely passionate about their Lungis. It is an old maxim that a person is known by the company that he keeps, however, a Malabari is known by the way he wears his Lungi. If a Malabari is holding the rim of his Lungi folded by raising it (to make it like a short), its time to part with him; for it is clearly a danger signal. A Pakistani drama writer/actor Umar Sharif once stirred a furor in Dubai when he picked on this issue of Malabari vis-à-vis Lungi. According to him, it is quite a sight seeing a Malabari with his Lungi on, especially during summer time in the Gulf.

The summer season in the Gulf & Arabia is a unique experience and is best described by a western amateur writer, Lucy Beney in her article “Sun Scream in Oman” published in Destination - the on-line magazine for Shell families. She remarks, “we know summer is on the way when the water coming out from the cold water tap is hotter than that coming from the hot water tap”. According to her (a British herself), “sun here is searing and unforgiving, from early morning until sundown”. She further continues in a candid expression, “forget the midday sun, in here; only mad dogs and Englishwomen (and ok, Dutch women too) go out in the sun after 8:00 am”. Given the narration above, it should not be difficult now to imagine what havoc is unleashed when heat plus humidity conjoin together here in Dubai; it should be one hell of experience, surely.

Coming back thence to Umar Sharif’s surmise on the Malabari & Lungi issue. According to him, as the mercury rises in the thermometer so does the lungi of a Malabari. One litmus test of heat outside is the temperature of water coming out from cold water tap (as described by Lucy Beney above) and the other, more reliable so, is the consequential raising/lifting of the Malabari Lungi. So much so, the Emirate (purportedly by Umar Sharif) issues a caution wherein it is prohibitive to look towards a Malabari during June/July. This is the time of the year when the summer heat in the region is at its peak; often crossing 50 degree Celcius. This caution is for obvious reason, as according to CNN, “the ensuing images, of a Malabari with Lungi rising above forbidden limit, could be very disturbing for some”.

Lungi is supposedly a barometer of the mood of a Malabri as well. When the mood mellows a Malabari starts to lift/raise his Lungi. Interestingly enough, he does the same thing in case of otherwise also. Nevertheless, the question remains, “how do you know what is really actuating a Malabari when you see him lifting/raising his Lungi. Is he doing this in good gesture or something turned him off”? I asked this from a Malabari friend of mine. “You got to live with them for quite sometime to understand that”, he replied. Nonetheless, he continued, “it’s a matter of speed only; if its being done out of some anger, it will be lifted in no second and incase of otherwise it will take a little while before Lungi gets lifted, its done slowly or gradually so to say”. My friend gave an example to help me understand this very delicate & sensitive issue. He said, “in a village if you scorn a child, he would immediately lift his Lungi, beyond permissible limit, show his bottom and run away”. On the other hand, he continued, “if you demonstrate some affection towards him, he will start to giggle & chuckle while simultaneously his lungi continues to be lifted slowly & gradually; to a decent level this time, of course”. The same goes for the elderly; be it a Keralite in his native Kerala or overseas. Sounds interesting, no?

There is much water in the lowlands of Kerala and many rivers pass through it coming from the mountainous western Ghats flowing into the Arabian Sea. Both hot and moist climate & water make it possible for mosquitoes to thrive in here. In the villages therefore, many use “mosquito net” to ward off the deadly mosquitoes during the nighttime sleep. Those who can not afford a “mosquito net” have a handy alternative available to them. They simply lift their lungis and cover the face for a peaceful nighttime slumber, sans company of unfriendly mosquito, of course. Moreover, it is a common sight to see a Keralite, while taking a stroll, to loosen the knot and wave the ends of the Lungi thus using it as a fan to get little breeze in the sultry environ.

Lungis are also used to express jubilant emotions during a football match. Elsewhere, when a goal is scored the players & the fans alike remove their jersey/T-shirt as an expression of joy. The Keralites simply lift their Lungis (some times beyond the permissible limit) and start hopping out of jubilation at the same. In addition, occasionally a streaker takes to the ground by lifting his Lungi (right up to his head) to the joy & applause of the crowd, some of whom are also seen skipping with their Lungis lifted already, beyond the permissible limits. I have seen this striking display of emotions in Bangladesh also during the Agha Khan Gold Cup football match in Dhaka. In Arabia, however, they lift their Thob (a long one-piece shirt) for the same purpose; this is characterized, as “within permissible limit” for luckily, unlike the Lungi, there happens to be a Pyjama under the same. So guys, luxuriate in the lust of a lustful Lungi!