That thing around your waist
Sudheer V. Kosaraju
Hi all,
Somebody recently asked me why I have a red thread
tied around my waist. Yeah! that red thread was my
"mola thadu(thradu?)". I did not have an answer for
that question, so I mumbled something silly like it
is an age old Indian custom bla bla... The person
who asked me the question saw that I was not comfortable
with the question or the answer and did not take the
topic any further.
Till now I never thought about that stuff. I don't
even know when it was tied around my waist for the
first time. I vaguely remember my mom (or dad) telling
me that it should be replaced quickly by a new one in
case it falls off. Even when I was coming over to the
US my mom carefully remembered to give me a bunch of
this red thread. I still have enough thread to go couple
of more rounds.
Now, I am kinda curious about this matter. What is the
origin of this custom? Does it have any use (other than
keeping the "lungi/panche" from falling off)? Do all
Andhras wear it?(How should I know! How often does one
look at another person's waist). Do women wear it? (Yep!
I am unmarried). Is it an Andhra-only custom? Is red the
only color or can I shift to radium yellow?
Those are my "dharma sandehams". Can anybody please
theerchagalaraa? I want to be ready in case this question
comes back.
Sudheer
lindires
In soc.culture.indian.telugu Sudheer V. Kosaraju <eus...@exu.ericsson.se> wrote:
> Hi all,
{rest of the stuff deleted}
> keeping the "lungi/panche" from falling off)? Do all
> Andhras wear it?(How should I know! How often does one
> look at another person's waist). Do women wear it? (Yep!
> I am unmarried). Is it an Andhra-only custom? Is red the
> only color or can I shift to radium yellow?
> Those are my "dharma sandehams". Can anybody please
> theerchagalaraa? I want to be ready in case this question
> comes back.
> Sudheer
Plain simple, friend! In earlier times, 'kaupInam' or loin
cloth, was what majority of men folk used to wear before
the present tight fitting underwears came on. So, the mola trADu
served the purpose of holding the kaupInam. Further, it is
a way to keep one's waistline under control. Of course, I have
seen people in whom the mola trADu is deeply buried in the flab
of the waist. :-) Women too used to wear it, and even now in
the rural areas wear it, for personal hygiene purposes. I hope
that explains it.
Unfortunately the purpose of it is lost, but the symbolism of
it has remained.
Vishnupriya
CHANDRA VINJAMURI
Sudheer V. Kosaraju (eus...@exu.ericsson.se) wrote:
: Hi all,
: Somebody recently asked me why I have a red thread
: tied around my waist. Yeah! that red thread was my
: "mola thadu(thradu?)". I did not have an answer for
: that question, so I mumbled something silly like it
: is an age old Indian custom bla bla... The person
: who asked me the question saw that I was not comfortable
: with the question or the answer and did not take the
: topic any further.
: Till now I never thought about that stuff. I don't
: even know when it was tied around my waist for the
: first time. I vaguely remember my mom (or dad) telling
: me that it should be replaced quickly by a new one in
: case it falls off. Even when I was coming over to the
: US my mom carefully remembered to give me a bunch of
: this red thread. I still have enough thread to go couple
: of more rounds.
: Now, I am kinda curious about this matter. What is the
: origin of this custom? Does it have any use (other than
: keeping the "lungi/panche" from falling off)? Do all
: Andhras wear it?(How should I know! How often does one
: look at another person's waist). Do women wear it? (Yep!
: I am unmarried). Is it an Andhra-only custom? Is red the
: only color or can I shift to radium yellow?
Some people wear Black Molathadu also. About Radium yellow Molathadu
I am not really sure...
Chandra...
Babloo Ramisetty
Hello, Folks!!!
Well, I guess (from what I've been told by a few elders...) the thread is
actually put on during infancy to measure the growth of the
babies...also, like a couple of netters pointed out, it is to keep
"whatever you wear...in place" :-))
Well, the saame theory applies to the wrist bands...or holy threads tied
to wrists...it originally started as a means of gauging growth amongst
babies...but what I fail to understand is ...as adults, why do people
(atleast some) still wear them???