EkaSaffronGaruda at 07:27, 26 November 2025

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{{short description|Traditional scarf originated in eastern Indian subcontinent}}
{{About||traditional Assamese Gamcha|Gamosa}}
{{More citations needed|date=June 2012}}
[[File:Ricksha_Driver_and_Vehicle_-_Dhaka_-_Bangladesh_(12831375333).jpg|thumb|right|[[Bangladesh|Bangladeshi]] [[Rickshaw painting of Bangladesh|Rickshaw]] Puller wearing traditional Gamcha]]
[[File:Old-Man-carrying-Milk-Jar-on-his-shoulder-IMG 8236.jpg|thumb|Milk salesman wearing Gamchha in Nepal]]
'''Gamcha''' (or '''Gamchhā''', '''Gāmchhā''', '''Gāmuchhā''' (Odia), '''Gamusā''' (Assamese) and '''Angochha''') is a rectangular piece of traditional coarse cotton cloth, sometimes with a [[Check (pattern)|checked]] design, worn as traditional scarf by men in the [[Indian subcontinent]], mainly in [[Eastern India]] (including [[Assam]]), [[Bangladesh]], as well as in eastern [[Terai]] of [[Nepal]].<ref name="google4">{{cite book |title=Bihar And Orissa Gazetteers Shahabad |author=O`Malley, L.S.S. |publisher=Logos Press |isbn=9788172681227 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iftaR6DVxIAC&q=Gamchha&pg=PA51 |page=52 |access-date=2023-02-16 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170218063342/https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=iftaR6DVxIAC&pg=PA51 |archive-date=18 February 2017}}</ref> It also became bit popular in other cultures of India and now in what is known as [[Pakistan]] after the [[Indian partition]], as well as various parts of South and Southeast Asia. The word "Gamcha" is [[Assamese language|Assamese]] word which comes from two very simple and commonly used [[Assamese language|Assamese]] words, (গা) ''ga'' which means "Body", and (মুছা) ''mucha'' which means "wipe". Literally translated, it means 'something to wipe the body with' however, interpreting the word ''gamcha'' as the towel is misleading.<ref name="assaminfo">{{cite web |url=http://www.assaminfo.com/culture/1/gamocha.htm |title=Gamocha |publisher=assaminfo.com |access-date=March 16, 2023}}</ref> It is often worn on one side of the shoulder. Its appearance varies from region to region, and it has been traditionally worn as a scarf by the [[Odia people|Odia]] men, [[Bhojpuri people|Bhojpuriya]] men and [[Bengalis|Bengali]] men. Gamcha is also a headwear for [[Bengalis|Bengali]] men in [[West Bengal]] and [[Bangladesh]].<ref name="Folk-lore">{{cite book |title=Folk-lore |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=18jjAAAAMAAJ |access-date=5 June 2012 |year=1983 |publisher=Indian Publications}}</ref> Gamucha was also mentioned in [[Odia language|Odia]] [[Mahabharata]] by [[Sarala Dasa]] as part of the traditional dress of Odia men.<ref name="Bailey1957">{{cite book |author=Frederick George Bailey |title=Caste and the Economic Frontier: A Village in Highland Orissa |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2TG8AAAAIAAJ&pg=PA250 |access-date=5 June 2012 |year=1957 |publisher=Manchester University Press |pages=250– |id=GGKEY:CS1R2QFP07X}}</ref><ref name="Panda1991">{{cite book |author=Shishir Kumar Panda |title=Medieval Orissa: A Socio-Economic Study |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=C_LT5Q-f3YEC&pg=PA96 |access-date=5 June 2012 |year=1991 |publisher=Mittal Publications |isbn=978-81-7099-261-5 |pages=96–}}</ref><ref name="Dept1990">{{cite book |author=Orissa (India). Harijan & Tribal Welfare Dept |title=Tribes of Orissa |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yStuAAAAMAAJ |access-date=5 June 2012 |year=1990 |publisher=Harijan and Tribal Welfare Department, Government Of Orissa}}</ref> Weavers of traditional ''tantubaya'' or ''jugi'' community migrated from Bangladesh to [[Tripura]] and weavers of [[Odisha]] produce good quality gamucha.<ref name="GhoshGhosh2000">{{cite book |author1=G. K. Ghosh |author2=Shukla Ghosh |title=Ikat Textiles Of India |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xOrTw0gPSVYC&pg=PA42 |access-date=5 June 2012 |date=1 January 2000 |publisher=APH Publishing |isbn=978-81-7648-167-0 |pages=42–}}</ref>

The gamcha is most commonly found with [[Tartan|check]] and striped patterns of red, orange or green. Plain white gamchhas with coloured (embroidered or printed) borders from [[Orissa, India|Odisha]] and [[Assam]] (for traditional [[Assam]]ese Gamcha, see [[Gamosa]]) are local handicrafts, and may be worn around the neck with traditional Indian attire. In western areas, gamchas are primarily made in red colour and are plain like cloth. In southern India, gamucha is more coarse and are available in various dyes. Even homemade lightweight fur towels are also popularly termed as gamchhas. Gamucha are worn by the South Asian people, especially in the Indian states of [[Assam]], Bihar, [[Odisha]], West Bengal, [[Jharkhand]] and the [[Purvanchal]] region, because they are better suited to the country's [[Tropics|tropical, humid]] climate. They may also be found in [[Turkish bath|hamam]]s as a traditional male loincloth and towel worn during bathing and massage.
[[File:Two gamchhas.jpg|thumb|170px|A pair of gamchhas with typical check patterns]]

==Other uses==
[[File:Gamchha-wearing model.jpg|thumb|150px|A fruit vendor wearing a gamchha tied as a headscarf.]]

=== Cultural symbol ===
{{Main|Gamosa}}
[[File:gamosa.jpg|thumb|350px|An Assamese Gamusa with embroidery designs.]]

[[Gamosa|Assamese gamosa]] or Gamusa in Assam has a place of special use : it is given as a token of honour and respect to esteemed guest. In Bihu Dance male dancers wear it as a headscarf. The traditional Assamese dress is complete only when one wears a gamusa.

In Ahom King days, Ahom soldiers wife's used to weave a gamusa within a night and present it to her husband to ensure safety and victory.

=== Handkerchief or Towel ===
Gamcha is also used sometimes as a [[handkerchief]] or towel for personal use such as wiping the face.

==== Loincloth and headscarf ====
Gamcha is also worn as knee long [[loin cloth]]s by people of the poorer sections of society, especially menial labourers and farm workers. They are also used as a headscarf, similar to the Middle Eastern [[keffiyeh]] in rural areas.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.orissa.gov.in/people/dress.htm |title=dress |work=orissa.gov.in |year=2003 |quote=tying it around the head as turban when necessary |access-date=5 June 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121223165117/http://www.orissa.gov.in/people/dress.htm |archive-date=23 December 2012}}</ref>

=== Safety ===
Gamchas can be turned into an effective weapon against [[Indian wolf|wolve]]s, [[Indian leopard|leopards]], [[dhole|wild dogs]] or [[Pariah dog|feral dog]]s or even [[dacoit]]s, by knotting a large stone pebble into one end and using it like [[bolas]].{{citation needed|date=June 2012}}

=== Face mask ===
Farmers were already using it in rural areas for various purposes, Gamcha became an alternative [[cloth face mask]] in rural India. The [[World Health Organization|WHO]] guidelines <ref>{{Cite web |title=When and how to use masks |url=https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public/when-and-how-to-use-masks |access-date=2020-12-10 |website=www.who.int |language=en}}</ref> for the necessary use of masks for protection from [[Coronavirus disease 2019|COVID]] increased its importance, and it became a choice of face masks by simply wearing on face. The need for this traditional piece of clothing has risen further since the [[Prime Minister of India]] made a television speech wearing Gamcha(a Manipuri gamcha, also known as Meitei Lengyan). It was trending since then in urban areas too.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2020-04-15 |title=PM Modi dons 'gamcha mask' in new profile picture, others follow suit |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/trending/trending-in-india/pm-narendra-modi-changes-dp-with-gamcha-masks-others-follow-6362353/ |access-date=2020-12-10 |work=The Indian Express |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=ANI |date=2020-05-30 |title=How PM Modi's iconic 'gamchha' face masks boosted employment in a UP town |work=Business Standard India |url=https://www.business-standard.com/article/current-affairs/pm-modi-s-gamcha-face-mask-boost-employment-of-up-town-s-weavers-120053000234_1.html |access-date=2020-12-10}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-05-14 |title=Gamechanger! Huge Demand For Red & White Gamcha That PM Modi Wore As Mask |url=https://www.india.com/viral/gamechanger-huge-demand-for-red-white-gamcha-that-pm-modi-wore-as-mask-4028554/ |access-date=2020-12-10 |website=India.com |language=en}}</ref>

== Commercial aspects ==
Gamcha is produced as a primary handloom product by traditional weavers. Presently the production of coarse handmade gamucha is slowing down in [[Orissa, India|Odisha]].<ref>{{cite book |author=Satya Narayan Dash |title=Handloom Industry in India |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=a5xjc73xzqAC&pg=PA195 |access-date=5 June 2012 |year=1995 |publisher=Mittal Publications |isbn=978-81-7099-599-9 |pages=195–}}</ref> A 1,455.3 metre long Gamucha displayed in Delhi created world record as it became world's longest hand woven piece of cloth.<ref>{{cite news |title=Assamese Gamusa makes it to the Guinness Book of World Records |url=http://thenortheasttoday.com/assamese-gamusa-made-it-to-the-guinness-book-of-world-records/ |access-date=31 August 2016 |agency=the northeast today |archive-date=19 August 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160819130051/http://thenortheasttoday.com/assamese-gamusa-made-it-to-the-guinness-book-of-world-records/ |url-status=dead}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[Agal (accessory)]], Arabian headdress
*[[Gingham]], scarf from Malaysia
*[[Keffiyeh]], traditional Middle Eastern headdress
*[[Krama]], Cambodian scarf
*[[Tagelmust]], scarf from Sahara
*[[Turban]], head scarf
*[[Lungi]]
*[[Grameen check]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Gamchha}}

{{Clothing in South Asia}}
{{Clothing}}

[[Category:Indian clothing]]
[[Category:Bangladeshi clothing]]
[[Category:Culture of India]]
[[Category:Woven fabrics]]
[[Category:Scarves]]

Gamcha - Revision history

EkaSaffronGaruda at 07:27, 26 November 2025