The Bill banning restriction of wearing the dhoti in private clubs may have become an Act in Tamil Nadu. However, there is no reference to the lungi in it, because I think people don’t attend functions or go to places such as the temple in a lungi. I see it being used as a very informal workaday dress in Kerala. It is simple and not cumbersome, not too costly, and about the easiest to wear—just slip it on for the two ends are stitched–it is tubular and either belted or tied securely around the waist. So, why not be comfortable when you can? What’s more—it is unisex and one size fits all. And it comes in colours—prints of flowers and checks, big and small. And you can run in it or climb coconut trees when it is folded up to the knees or above. I have seen the bhangra dance performed beautifully in the Punjabi lungi which is worn in a way that you can swagger in it.
The dhoti is more accepted as a professional dress. Most of the Kerala ministers swear by it. The dhobi does such a good job of whitening it, whether he uses Surf or Tide is not known by anyone—but with the equally whitened shirt, it is very impressive.
It is my hunch that the dhoti has been used for hundreds of years, probably from the time man came out of the fig-leaf era and discovered the way to make clothes.
Just as the sari can hide any ugliness, the dhoti can cover many sins, that is to say it has many advantages like covering hairy/stumpy/disfigured legs. And it can be doubled up for convenience. When meeting older people or on seeing women or where respect is to be shown, the dhoti is worn fully (and not at half-mast). I find south Indian filmstars finding the dhoti very comfortable even during fights and encounters. Some even double up the dhoti during the violent scenes, because they are well-protected, firstly by anchoring the dhoti well and secondly by having shorts underneath (very much like the coloured lungis).
At marriages, the dhoti is worn in Brahmin households, with a parting between the legs, the garment firmly tucked in at the back as in the old days—generally it is the priest who has to help the untrained bachelor to tie it and keep it firm—very much like the muhurtham sari of the bride (she is helped by her would be sister-in-law and older women who love to participate in the complicated tying of the nine yards). Having entered the portals of marriage, both husband and wife are encouraged to wear the dhoti and sari in this way for all religious functions.
I read that when Mahatma Gandhi went in the skimpiest of clothes for a meeting in London and when it was most politely suggested to him that he might like to put on something more, he replied that the host who was to conduct the meeting was compensating abundantly with many layers of clothing.
I am sure lay people like me would never be able to get away with such an answer.