Other lands
The haku patasi of the Newar
A black cloth with a red border worn by Newar women of the Kathmandu Valley, with a waist sash, for festivals and rites.
Presented by ClearTrust Free for wearers, makers and the curious.
The haku patasi is a black sari-like cloth with a red border, worn by Newar women of the Kathmandu Valley in Nepal. It is wrapped round the body, closed with a waist band called a patuka, and worn with a blouse. It is dress for festivals and ceremonies, not an everyday garment.
Wrapped step by step
Each drawing shows the cloth so far, with the newest step outlined in gold. The figure is a front view; the wearer's left is on your right.
Step 1 Put on the blouse and a petticoat or underskirt. Step 2 Wrap the black cloth once round the waist, with the red border at the hem. Step 3 Tuck the cloth firmly at the waist so it hangs to the ankle. Step 4 Tie the patuka, the waist band, over the cloth. Step 5 Bring the end or a shawl over the shoulder. Step 6 Settle the red border so that it shows along the edge. Finished The haku patasi of the Newar, seen from the front.
Where it comes from
The Newar are the indigenous community of the Kathmandu Valley, with a long town culture, their own language and many festivals. The haku patasi is their traditional women's dress. It is known as a black cloth with a red border and is most often woven of cotton or silk. As with any traditional dress, the detail of the cut and the way it is worn depends on the family and locality, and fewer women now wear it in daily life. Sources describing it in detail are limited, so only the general description is given here.
How it looks
The black cloth with its red border is wrapped round the lower body, then a blouse is worn above, and a sash is tied at the waist. A shawl or the end of the cloth may be put over the shoulder. Plain black gives a stark, formal effect, and the red edge outlines the cloth. Because the cloth is plain apart from its edge, the way it is folded and wrapped shows more than any pattern, and a sash holds it in place. Different families may add a shawl for formal days, and the red edge is the part that people notice first, since it follows the hem.
Who wears it and when
It is worn at Newar festivals, weddings and life-cycle rites, and in cultural events and processions in the Kathmandu Valley. Some women wear it daily, though most now reserve it for special days. Both traditional and modern sets are sold, and many Newar families keep one at home for rites. It is also worn in photographs and heritage events, where it stands for Newar identity. Because only limited written detail is available, local advice from a Newar family or dresser is the best guide to the right way for a given rite. The garment should be treated as a living tradition and not as a costume, and a visitor who is invited to a Newar festival may be shown how it is worn.
Sarees worn this way
Sources and further reading
Original text and drawings by the EveryPallu desk, written with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. The drawings are simplified diagrams of the order of wrapping, not a lesson: how a drape is worn differs from family to family. If we have something wrong, tell us.
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Sari: Suyash.dwivedi, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Banarasi sari: Ekabhishek, CC BY-SA 3.0, source