The sarees of Kathmandu

What is worn here

The haku patasi is a black cloth with a broad red border, worn by Newar women on ceremonial and festive occasions. Most Nepali women wear a saree with a blouse for formal events, and the saree is the usual choice for weddings. Dhaka cloth, a woven cotton fabric with bright geometric patterns made in Nepal, is used for sarees, scarves and caps, and is much loved as a national textile.

The craft and its people

Hand weaving in Nepal is carried on by many communities, with Dhaka weaving done in the hills by women and men on a handloom. Newar families in the valley have their own dress customs which differ from the dress of the hill communities. Teej, held in the month of Bhadra, brings women to the temples dressed in red, and many buy new sarees for it.

Seeing it

The Patan Museum in Patan Durbar Square and the old squares of Kathmandu and Bhaktapur show the setting of Newar culture. Shops in Kathmandu sell Dhaka cloth and woven goods, and Pashupatinath temple fills with women in red during Teej. Handicraft centres in the Kathmandu Valley can arrange visits to weavers.

A trail idea for Kathmandu

1. Patan Museum Visit the museum in Patan's old royal square to see the Newar setting of art and craft.
2. Dhaka cloth shops Look at woven Dhaka cloth in its bold geometric patterns, and ask where it was woven.
3. Pashupatinath at Teej In the festival, see women in red sarees gathered at the temple to sing and dance.