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Where have all the lungis gone?

Bermudas and nighties have usurped the cherished place that once belonged to lungis

Pokemon, Umman Sandi, Malayan and their ilk are under attack. Their empire, which they once guarded unchallenged, has been invaded. The invaders? Bermudas, pyjamas and nighties. And, the one under attack is the once revered lungi, that bright-hued cloth perfect for casual wear.

Unable to withstand the onslaught of the invaders, the lungis, especially screen-printed ones, are slowly giving way. "We don't sell as much as we used to. There is gradual and subtle occupation of the lungi market," says S. Muthusamy of Ram Printing Mills, a leading lungi manufacturer who has been in the business for half-a-century.

"With Bermudas getting popular, I now print around 80,000 metres of lungi fabric a month, down from the earlier 1.2 lakh metres," says a screen printer. His friends in the business echo similar views. "The lungi market has lost around 30 per cent of its share," they guesstimate.

The social perception associated with a lungi is another reason for the dwindling market. "A person wearing a lungi cannot command respect. In fact, he is looked down upon. And, in times of trouble, the police usually question a man in lungi," says a manufacturer.

Out of favour

Yet another reason for lungis falling out of grace is they have not caught the fancy of this generation. "Today, only the middle-aged and the elderly prefer lungis. So, there is no increase in the market. Youth have taken to Bermudas and pyjamas in a big way," those in the trade feel.

The women's lungi market has been affected too. The damage is mainly in Kerala, where until recently, women draped lungis. Here, nighties have played spoilsport.

"Until a few years ago, specially printed lungis for women in rich, floral designs in pink, red and brown were despatched across the border. Now, very little is sent to Kerala," says a lungi merchant, whose sales have come down by 20,000 pieces. A few years ago he bombarded the market with about a lakh lungis a month.

To withstand the onslaught, lungi manufacturers and traders attempted at a new strategy a few years ago by changing designs and colours. "We switched over from geometric designs to multi-coloured, rich patterns. Known as Bombay Dyeing prints, they often came in a combination of three to ten colours," says Muthusamy.

This print soon ruled Tamil Nadu, Kerala and the Andhra Pradesh markets and even neighbouring Sri Lanka. "Sri Lanka went crazy over the prints, and lot of it got exported from costal Tamil Nadu," he recalls.

But the Bombay Dyeing prints' reign did not last long enough. The Bermudas were at their heels.

Despite this assault, lungis have managed to hold on to their turf in pockets of Tamil Nadu. Their strongholds are the Muslim-majority areas of Thanjavur and Ramanathapuram districts, where women wear lungis too. Adherence to the traditional dress code may keep the market in these places alive, traders say. And, these areas are likely to be the lungis' last hold.

KARTHIK MADHAVAN

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