 | This articleneeds additional citations forverification. Please helpimprove this article byadding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Onnara" – news ·newspapers ·books ·scholar ·JSTOR(March 2016) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
Onnara is a traditional form ofunderwear for women[1][2] of all ages worn amongHindu women inKerala (the southernmoststate of India).Onnara is adothi (sarong) tied in such a way that it is tight, and cannot be accidentally released.
A cotton (handloom) cloth of size 6muzham × 3muzham (1muzham = 1.5 ft approximately) is used to drape around the waist, in a particular style under the outer garment (pavada,saree, ormundu).
Onnara is also calledthaar in some parts of the state. The word is more often used in the southern part of Kerala;onnara is mostly a northern Kerala usage. However, there are certain differences in wearingthaar compared toonnara. The style of wearingthaar is simpler than that ofonnara and there are different types ofthaar.
In the olden days,[when?] tradition said that people should visit the temple in the morning and evening, wearingonnara, because having a dip and coming to temple with wet garments was strictly prohibited as it exhibited the body parts to others. Both men and women wore it, but women in particular wore it at home and as an inner garment while going out.[3]
Nowadays it is increasingly being used by women of all classes of society.
Onnara provides enough support and covers the vulva completely, giving enough space for absorption of secretions and at the same time giving ample space for air circulation as it is worn loose in those areas. Even during menstruation, it prevents leakage from the sides and a feeling of uneasiness due to its breadth.[3]
