It's not like I have anything against the daura suruwal in its present form. I'm the proud owner of three pairs, well, essentially two, but will only wear them on as few occasions as I can get away with. The other one was my wedding outfit so I won't be wearing that again unless I wish to suffer the same fate as the 'onesie' idea I alluded to. That leaves me with two pairs that I wear whenever the occasion absolutely demands it.
Many will agree that the dress has been reduced to something of a novelty, worn on college cultural days, annual functions, and the occasional wedding! In my defense I have valid (and cringe worthy) reasons for my trepidation, but unlike me not everyone can lay claim to having awkward experiences with it. What then is the reason for its dwindling appeal amongst the youth? I can already hear the same old platitudes about the 'westernization of our culture' that a lot of people seem happy to peddle around. This clichéd phrase is not a problem unique to Nepal or to the daura suruwal alone. This question needed pondering from a sartorial point of view, far removed from the smug nationalism that always seems to accompany it. My crude attempts are an amalgamation of both personal and other people's experiences, patched together with snippets from conversations on our shared misery.
People often cite changing fashion as a reason for its diminishing stature. That, in my mind, is an almost redundant argument. If properly worn, a daura suruwal makes just about anyone look dapper, irrespective of age. Compare that to other traditional dresses like the 'dhoti' of our neighbors (no pun intended) for example. While I assume it's comfortable and occasionally chic, it might not be the obvious choice for many Indians on formal occasions. Is the daura suruwal impractical then? Well, it is in the sense that you can't just open the top buttons, pull out your shirt ends and loosen your tie like you would do with a suit. It doesn't help that it requires a coat – in the opinion of many – to make it complete resulting in it being a hellishly difficult proposition in summer. On the other hand, it's not as impractical as let's say a saree can be when getting around on motorbikes or just where general mobility is concerned.
I've had some people argue that the intricate strings of the daura may put off people. It seems like a laughable suggestion but I've seen people struggle with a janai, so this may be not be so far-fetched after all. However, the suruwal is the most peculiar item of them all. It's airy and comfortable and perfectly okay just on its own to lounge around in – out of sight of course. Even though it's not a visible part of the get up, it does present a problem for a shape conscious generation that balks at the idea of pleats on their trouser fronts. The whole untidy mid sectional 'scrunch' of the suruwal is a turnoff for our ship shape lot.
Have you ever wondered about those god-awful jokes on Nepali TV when a person loses their suruwal and it drops to his ankles resulting in much embarrassment and laughter? Well, there's a reason for that. The suruwal (and our dignity) is reliant on and held by what is basically a piece of string! If tied very tightly it cuts off circulation, and when a little loose it's the male equivalent of wearing an ill-fitting brassiere that requires constant pulling and adjusting.
Although the biggest gripe I've come across is the fact that the trousers are so tapered that your feet end up looking unnaturally big and with the wrong pair of shoes, just hideous. The last but certainly not the least by any means is the most timeless accessory of them all – the hairstyle. You may roll your eyes at this suggestion, but many people argue and I concur that a daura suruwal is incomplete without a dhaka topi. The lack of a topi detracts immensely from its appeal. In this age of designer hairstyles and their accompanying sunglasses this can be quite a bummer for our trend following fashionistas.
Our frugal use of it may well have reduced its stature to that of an optional glad rags but it does have the potential to keep pace with the times. Its allure lies in its simplicity and the fact that it's not too elaborate to put people off. There is a certain charm to seeing a group of people smartly dressed in daura suruwals, with the exception of our politicians of course. I wonder if a little personal tweak here and there might actually add to its appeal. I'm not too well versed with fashion trends but I don't believe we have made any attempts at a variation on it. It's about time someone gave it a thought. C'mon Mr Prabal Gurung, we're all waiting for you to have a crack at it.
gunjan.u@gmail.com
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