A
gamucha is a traditional thin, coarse cotton towel, often with a checked design, found in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, as well as various parts of South and Southeast Asia; it is used to dry the body after bathing or wiping sweat. It is often worn on one side of the shoulder. Its appearance varies from region to region, and it has been traditionally worn as a scarf by the men of Orissa which was mentioned in Oriya Mahabharata by Sarala Dasa. Male villagers wear it as a dhoti. Children of tribal communities in Orissa wear gamucha until their adolescence after which they wear dhoti. Weavers of traditional
tantubaya or
jugicommunity migrated from Bangladesh to Tripura and weavers of Orissa produce good quality gamucha.This is also used as turban and cotton towel in Punjab. They call it
parna.