mundu

thumb|Saint Thomas Christians|Nasranis or Syrian Christians of Kerala wearing mundu (from an old painting). Photo published in the Cochin Government Royal War Efforts Souvenir in 1938. thumb|Nair woman wearing a [[mundum neriyatum, painting by Raja Ravi Varma]] thumb|upright|A man wearing mundu and melmundu The mundu (Malayalam: ; ) is a garment worn around the waist in the Indian states of Kerala, Tamil Nadu, the Lakshadweep archipelago, and the Indian Ocean island nation of Maldives. It is closely related to sarongs like dhotis and lungis. It is normally woven in cotton and coloured white or cream. The colour is dependent on whether the cotton is bleached or unbleached. A is made using handlooms. When unbleached, the mundu is called . In modern times, two types of mundu are prevalent—the single and the double. A single mundu is wrapped only once around the waist, while the double one is folded in half before wearing. A mundu is usually starched before use.

==Men== A mundu usually has a line of comparatively thicker cloth woven into it near the border called the kara. The kara can be coloured and comes in various sizes. There is also double coloured and ornamental kara (a strip of colour at the end of the mundu). For more ceremonial occasions (like weddings), a mundu has a golden embroidery known as kasavu. The wearer highlights the 'kara' by carefully folding the end of the mundu. Unspoken rules of etiquette govern the way the mundu is worn. Men belonging to Islam should wear the mundu facing right side (kara facing right side) and Christian or Atheist men need to wear it kara facing in the middle.Mundu is compulsory in Hindu culture especially when Hindu men are entering into a Goddess Temple.Also Muslim men prefer to wear mundu with different colours of Kara while its a compulsion for Hindu men to wear mundu with golden kara