Pavadai
The Tamil word for a long skirt, worn under a saree or by girls with a blouse and a half-saree.
Also: pattu pavadai, paavadai
Pavadai means skirt in Tamil. It names two things. One is the petticoat worn under a saree. The other is the long skirt that girls wear, most often a pattu pavadai, a skirt of silk with a border, worn with a blouse and a scarf-like cloth called a davani. This outfit is a familiar festival and temple dress for girls in Tamil Nadu. When the girl grows older she is given a half-saree and later a full saree, so the pavadai marks a stage of life as well as a garment.