Dhaka Topi
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The Dhaka topi ( ), is a traditional Nepalese cloth hat which forms part of Nepalese national dress, and worn by men on celebrations in the pahadi regions.


History

''Dhaka ko Topi'' literately translates to "headgear made of Dhaka cloth".
Dhaka Dhaka ( or ; , ), List of renamed places in Bangladesh, formerly known as Dacca, is the capital city, capital and list of cities and towns in Bangladesh, largest city of Bangladesh. It is one of the list of largest cities, largest and list o ...
is a fine cotton cloth once exclusively imported from
Dhaka Dhaka ( or ; , ), List of renamed places in Bangladesh, formerly known as Dacca, is the capital city, capital and list of cities and towns in Bangladesh, largest city of Bangladesh. It is one of the list of largest cities, largest and list o ...
, the present-day capital of
Bangladesh Bangladesh, officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, eighth-most populous country in the world and among the List of countries and dependencies by ...
. The Dhaka topi was a part of the Nepalese national dress, and a symbol of Nepalese nationality. It became popular during the reign of
King Mahendra Mahendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev (; 11 June 1920 – 31 January 1972) was King of Nepal from 13 March 1955 until his death in 1972. He led the 1960 Nepal coup d'état, 1960 coup d'état, in which he dismissed the government, jailed other political ...
, who ruled between 1955 and 1972, and made wearing a Dhaka topi mandatory for official photographs for
passports A passport is an official travel document issued by a government that certifies a person's identity and nationality for international travel. A passport allows its bearer to enter and temporarily reside in a foreign country, access local aid ...
and documents. Dhaka topis are given away as gifts during
Dashain Dashain or Bada'dashain, also known as Vijaya Dashami in Sanskrit, is a Hindu religious festival in Nepal, Sikkim, West Bengal, Assam, South India, and Sri Lanka. It is also celebrated by other religions in Nepal and elsewhere, including the Lho ...
and Tihar festivals. Dhaka topis was also worn by government officials as a part of the national dress. In the times of
King Mahendra Mahendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev (; 11 June 1920 – 31 January 1972) was King of Nepal from 13 March 1955 until his death in 1972. He led the 1960 Nepal coup d'état, 1960 coup d'état, in which he dismissed the government, jailed other political ...
, dhaka topis for rent were available near the
Singha Durbar Singha Durbar () is a palace in Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal. The palace complex lies in the centre of Kathmandu, to the north of Babar Mahal and Thapathali Durbar and east of Bhadrakali Temple (Kathmandu), Bhadrakali Temple. This palace wa ...
(literally Lion Hall) in
Kathmandu Kathmandu () is the capital and largest city of Nepal, situated in the central part of the country within the Kathmandu Valley. As per the 2021 Nepal census, it has a population of 845,767 residing in 105,649 households, with approximately 4 mi ...
. The badge of
kukri The kukri () or khukuri (, ) is a type of knife or short sword with a distinct recurve in its blade that originated in the Indian subcontinent. It serves multiple purposes as a melee weapon and also as a regular cutting/chopping tool throughout ...
cross is worn on the cap largely by officials in
Kathmandu Kathmandu () is the capital and largest city of Nepal, situated in the central part of the country within the Kathmandu Valley. As per the 2021 Nepal census, it has a population of 845,767 residing in 105,649 households, with approximately 4 mi ...
or when a Nepalese visit the palace.


Significance

Although Dhaka clothing no longer dominates Nepalese fashion, it remains an integral part of the hill and hilla region. . While many Nepalis now seldom wear a cap unless they are attending some cultural programme, many other men and women still wear costumes made from Dhaka on a regular basis, as it remains common sight on the streets of
Kathmandu Kathmandu () is the capital and largest city of Nepal, situated in the central part of the country within the Kathmandu Valley. As per the 2021 Nepal census, it has a population of 845,767 residing in 105,649 households, with approximately 4 mi ...
. Dhaka cloth still play a role in rituals, such as weddings and funerals of many ethnic groups living in the valley. Despite many hand-loom establishments that producing it, they still struggle to meet the constantly increasing demand for Dhaka topi. According to Tejeswar Babu Gongah, a columnist, cultural activist and cultural expert, "The topi which is round at the base, with a height of 3 to 4 inches, indicates the mountains and the
Himalayas The Himalayas, or Himalaya ( ), is a mountain range in Asia, separating the plains of the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau. The range has some of the Earth's highest peaks, including the highest, Mount Everest. More than list of h ...
of the country. The Dhaka topi is said to represent the mountain after the melting of the ice. The melted ice enables the growth of greenery and vibrantly coloured flowers in the lower regions of the mountain." International Nepali Dhoti and Topi Day is a day celebrated by
Nepali people Nepali or Nepalese () are the permanent citizens of Nepal under Nepali nationality law. The term ''Nepali'' strictly refers to ''nationality'', meaning people holding citizenship of Nepal. Conversely, people without Nepalese citizenship but wi ...
globally on 1 January to keep Nepali traditional fashion alive.
Nepalis Nepali or Nepalese () are the permanent citizens of Nepal under Nepali nationality law. The term ''Nepali'' strictly refers to ''nationality'', meaning people holding citizenship of Nepal. Conversely, people without Nepalese citizenship but wi ...
of Madhesi and Tharu ethnicity wear Dhoti-kurtha and Gamchha, while all
Nepali people Nepali or Nepalese () are the permanent citizens of Nepal under Nepali nationality law. The term ''Nepali'' strictly refers to ''nationality'', meaning people holding citizenship of Nepal. Conversely, people without Nepalese citizenship but wi ...
wear Dhaka and Bhadgaunle topis on that day. Though topis are more prevalent in the day than dhoti, Madhesis have taken the opportunity to promote their distinct identity. Madhesis and Tharu are often discriminated against because of their refusal to wear Dhaka topi.


Dhaka cloth

''Dhaka'', the hand-spun cotton inlay-pattern weaving used to make intricately patterned, colourful panels for Dhaka topis, is the most remarkable and visible cotton textile in Nepal. Pre-dyed cotton is imported from India and weaved by master craftspeople into intricate patterns using only a few colours. The fabric is also used for a type of blouse called ''Dhaka ko cholo'', literally meaning a "blouse made of dhaka fabric", and shawls for women. Some farmers and weavers have made preliminary trials of a silk Dhaka topi cloth with limited success. There are different myths about the origin of Dhaka fabric. One story tells that a minister returned from Dhaka, Bangladesh with idea of such a topi, which eventually replaced the traditional black cap in popularity. Another story tells that name is so because the originally cloths and threads for Dhaka topi used to come from Dhaka, often resembling Dhakai muslin (fine cotton of Dhaka). It is also possible that Hindu weavers settled in Nepal to flee Muslim invasion of
Bengal Bengal ( ) is a Historical geography, historical geographical, ethnolinguistic and cultural term referring to a region in the Eastern South Asia, eastern part of the Indian subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal. The region of Benga ...
. The method of pattern weaving practised around Dhaka, called ''
Jamdani Jamdani () is a fine muslin textile (figured with different patterns) produced for centuries in South Rupshi of Narayanganj district in Bangladesh on the bank of Shitalakhwa river. The historic production of jamdani was patronized by imperial ...
'', is considerably different from what is currently practised by Nepalese weavers. A few fragments of Dhaka fabric in the collection of the National Museum of Nepal are assumed to be from early 20th century. The most popular legend attributes the introduction of Dhaka weaving to Ganesh Man Maharjan, who worked in an Jamdani factory in 1950s. He was inspired to learn it when he noticed Dambar Kumari, Shree Teen Junga Bahadur Rana's daughter, wearing Dhaka clothes she brought back from Benares. Upon returning to his native Palpa his wife and he established a factory to produce Dhaka cloth in 1957 with one spool and one hand-operated Charkha spinning-wheel bought from Kathmandu and local weavers trained by Mahajan. His operation flourished because of the high price of superior quality imports.Amendra Pokharel
Dented Pride: The Story of Daura Suruwal and Dhaka Topi
, ''ECS Nepal'', 11 July 2010
Nirmal Shrestha,
Palpali Dhaka
, ''ECS Nepal'', 6 May 2016
As the
Shah dynasty The Shah dynasty (), also known as the Shahs of Gorkha or the Royal House of Gorkha, was the ruling Chaubise Thakuri dynasty and the founder of the Gorkha Kingdom from 1559 to 1768 and later the unified Kingdom of Nepal from 1768 to 28 May ...
government showed a preference for Dhaka cloth and topis made out of it, other weavers started following Maharajan. By early 1970, his own factory Swadeshi Vastrakala Palpali Dhaka Udhyog had grown to employ some 350 workers. At that time Jaishanker Textile Industry, Khanal Textile Industry, and Nabin Textile Industry were the major producers of cotton yarn used to make Dhaka cloth. Despite booming business and government incentives, most weavers were poor. An expert weaver worked 12–16 hours a day for a month to produce 4–5 metres of Dhaka cloth. But, their wage was a measly 10-30
Nepalese rupee The Nepalese rupee (; currency sign, sign: रु; ISO 4217, code: NPR) is the official currency and legal tender of Nepal. It is also sometimes abbreviated as N₨ or Re./Rs. informally. The rupee is subdivided into 100 paisa, although coins of ...
s, one egg and 250 grams of
Jeri Jeri is a surname and given name. Notable people with the name include: Given name * Jeri Campbell (born 1970), American figure skater * Jeri Ellsworth (born 1974), American entrepreneur and computer chip designer * Jeri Laber (born 1931), Ame ...
. In 1970s, the Dhaka weaving industry in Palpa changed significantly as it was introduced to
Jacquard loom The Jacquard machine () is a device fitted to a loom that simplifies the process of manufacturing textiles with such complex patterns as brocade, damask and matelassé. The resulting ensemble of the loom and Jacquard machine is then called a Jac ...
and easily available shiny
acrylic fiber Acrylic fibers are synthetic fibers made from a polymer ( polyacrylonitrile) with an average molecular weight of ~100,000, about 1900 monomer units. For a fiber to be called "acrylic" in the US, the polymer must contain at least 85% acrylonit ...
. Jacquard looms made it possible to produce several meter a day, instead of the average 9-inches on a hand-loom. Many weavers lost their jobs, Palpa lost its near monopoly and Dhaka caps lost some of the intricacies of its patterns. Now weavers in capital Kathmandu,
Palpa District Palpa District (, a part of Lumbini Province, is one of the seventy-seven districts of Nepal, a landlocked country of South Asia. The district, with Tansen as its headquarters, covers an area of and has a population (2021) of 245,027. Palpa ...
in the middle mountains area, especially its headquarters Tansen municipality, and
Tehrathum District Tehrathum District ( ), is one of seventy-seven districts of Nepal and one of the 14 districts of Koshi Province Demographics In 2021, Terhathum district had a population of 88,731. Tehrathum had a literacy rate of 81.9% and a sex ratio of 10 ...
in the East are the main producers of Dhaka cloth.
Limbus Limbus (Lat. "edge, boundary") may refer to: * Corneal limbus, the border of the cornea and the sclera (the white of the eye) * Limbus of fossa ovalis, in the heart * Limbus 3 and Limbus 4, two line-ups of a German avant-garde musical group * ...
and
Rais (), plural , is an Arabic title meaning 'chief' or 'leader'. It comes from the word for head, . The corresponding word for leadership or chieftaincy is . It is often translated as 'president' in Arabic, and as 'boss' in Persian. Swahili speak ...
from the middle mountains are famous for the Dhaka cloth they produce. Tansen, the most renowned source of Dhaka topis, is colourful town with Magar, Brahmin, Chhetris with Newars who came in the 19th century to seek their fortune. Apart its famous Dhaka fabric for topic, cholos and shawls, Tensen is also known for its metal craft including Karuwa mugs, jars and other items. It is a custom to buy Palpali Dhaka fabric products as souvenir while visiting the area, including topis, shawls and thailo purses that has two pairs of drawstrings to open and close the purse. A Dhaka topi industry has been established in
Darjeeling Darjeeling (, , ) is a city in the northernmost region of the States and union territories of India, Indian state of West Bengal. Located in the Eastern Himalayas, it has an average elevation of . To the west of Darjeeling lies the Koshi Pr ...
by
Indian Gorkha Indian Gorkhas, also known as Nepali Indians, are an Indian ethno-cultural group who speak Nepali language, Nepali as a common language. They inhabit mainly the states of Sikkim, West Bengal, Northeast India and Uttarakhand, including their di ...
s.


Topis

The traditional outfit of Nepali men features '' Daura-Suruwal'' (Nepalese shirt and trouser suit), '' Patuka'' (cloth wrapped around the waist instead of a belt), '' ista coat'' (the Nepalese sleeveless half-jacket) and a topi, while ''Gunyou Cholo'' (a '' ghagra''-''
kurta A ''kurta'' is a loose collarless shirt or tunic worn in many regions of South Asia, (subscription required) Quote: "A loose shirt or tunic worn by men and women." Quote: "Kurta: a loose shirt without a collar, worn by women and men from South ...
'' style women's dress) is the dress for a woman who generally wore no topi. Various ethnic groups wear their own constituent traditional dresses. For instance, the Tamang women wear distinctive headgear with an added cotton or woollen wrapper is also worn over the cap. Some Buddhist Tamang women wear ''Bakhus'' which are ethnic to the Tibetan people. The once mandatory topi of a Nepali man can be either black (called '' bhaad-gaaule'' or ''kalo topi'') or multicoloured (called ''Dhaka'' or ''Nepali topi''). ''Bhaad-gaaule topis'' are similar to Dhaka topi but they are black in colour given the fact that they are not made from Dhaka. Before the Nepali government started promoting Dhaka topis, Bhaad-gaaule topis largely made in
Bhaktapur Bhaktapur (Nepali language, Nepali and Sanskrit: भक्तपुर, ; "City of Devotees"), known locally as Khwopa (Nepal Bhasa: , ) and historically called Bhadgaon, is a city in the east corner of the Kathmandu Valley in Nepal located abou ...
were the popular Nepali headgear, especially common to Newaris. These kalo topis (blacks caps), once preferred by Rana dynasty elites, are now making a comeback, particularly among the youth. Milliners of Bhaktapur, once almost put out of business by the advent of Dhaka topi, were making as many as 600 kalo topis a week by 2015. Besides Dhaka and kalo topis there are a number of other topis made and worn in Nepal including ''chuclie topi'', '' birke topi'', ''karchupe topi'' and ''cap topi''.


See also

* Bhadgaunle Topi * Birke topi * Gandhi cap *
List of hat styles Hats have been common throughout the history of humanity, present on some of the very earliest preserved human bodies and art. Below is a list of various kinds of contemporary or traditional hat. List See also *List of headgear References ...


References


External links

* *
Lionel Messi wears a Dhaka topi
''Huffington Post'' {{DEFAULTSORT:Dhaka Topi Hats Nepalese clothing Society of Nepal Culture of Nepal