Topi Day observed in Nepal

Nepal observed 10th Topi Diwas (Nepali Cap Day) in a grand manner on January 1, 2023 Sunday under the slogan ‘Nepali Topi: Nepali Identity’. Nepal is a land of heady mixture of unique cultures where visitors can revitalize their mind, body and soul in a simple knock out with age-old traditional hospitality. It is a home of diversity of 70ethnic groups with their own religion, cultures, languages and life-styles that exist in harmony. These diverse cultures have been sources of creation while being a guardian of a priceless legacy of historical and traditional assets.

After the traditional attire of the Nepali people including Daura Suruwal, Topi and Gunyu Cholo – which have been part of the Nepali identity for centuries—were removed from the list of national dress by the erstwhile government, people started celebrating the Nepali Topi Day with the demand to give national identity to the Nepali Topi (Dhaka Topi, Bhadgaunle Topi).

The Dhaka Topi was a part of the Nepalese national dress, and a symbol of Nepalese nationality. People have requested the government to declare the Dhaka Topi and Bhadgaunle Topi should be declared as the national identity after the then government removed Daura Suruwal, Topi and Gunyu Cholo from the list of national dress. 

Since 2070 B.S. (January 1, 2014) every year Nepali people have been celebrating January 1st as ‘Dhaka Topi Day’, wearing Dhaka Ko Topi literally means a “headgear made of Dhaka cloth”, a fine cotton cloth or Bhadgaunle Topi as their pride globally as a part of an effort to preserve the traditional Nepali cap as national identity urging to pay attention to the protection and promotion of traditional wears.

Village workshops and craft collective throughout Nepal produce a great variety of cloth. The best known are the Dhaka cloth used in ladies’ blouses, topi cloth for hats, Dolpo blankets, soft Pashmina woolen shawls, and colourful block-printed hand-loomed cloth that weave, working with hand spun, vegetable dyed fibers in traditional patterns.

There are many beautiful varieties, including bold-striped Bhaktapur cloth, intricately-woven imported Bhutanese cloth, and a domestic silk called tussar.

“What is the word for all those caps the men wear?” An American friend of this writer, who was in Kathmandu these days, asked, eyeing the passing crowd. The simple answer was “Topi.” “Well, these are the most unusual things I’ve seen so far. Let’s find out where the weavers are!” she said.

Nepali Topi. I had always taken it for granted. All I knew about where they came from was having seen them by the hundreds in little 3 x 3-foot stalls in one of the busiest downtown streets- Asan Tole.

The traditional art of weaving the cotton cloth from which topis are made, called Dhaka cloth. The Dhaka is woven in various parts of Kathmandu. However, Patan, Palpa are the most famous places from where the cloth for topi comes. Besides this, there is also another kind of topi which is called as Bhadgaounle topi. This topi will be little thicker materials and always will be of black colour.

Wearing a topi is a must when a man wears Nepali formal dress called Daura Suruwal. The person could wear the Palpali Dhaka Topi or Bhandgaunle Topi that depends upon the people.

Whatever it wears, it looks very nice and a different kind of dress compared to the Western suit. Thus, this writer had accumulated many reactions from many people around the world saying “very good dress”.

The Daura Suruwal – Nepal’s national dress is worn during official functions at home and abroad. Besides the colourful Dhaka cloth, the shops in the Kathmandu Valley display all manner of textiles, arts and crafts of Nepal.

In order to preserve the traditional craft material, the Government has encouraged the weavers by providing beneficiaries and also urged them to introduce new colour and adapt traditional designs for items which appeal to the export and tourists’ markets.

The Dhaka cloth items came in a wide variety: table clothes, placemats, and napkins, short and long neck scarves and belts, bordered kimonos, shawls and pillows- to name a few.

The work of Nepal’s skilled weavers has been greeted enthusiastically in countries where it died out long ago; many visitors are enhanced by the handmade cloth they find here and return home with an amazing variety of items produced by weavers.

Some are so taken by the work that they now import it to North America, Europe and Australia.

Weaving in Nepal and the combining of ancient techniques with modern designs is heading in promising directions. With Goddess Saraswati’s blessing, the ancient craft lives on. Cloth is one of Nepal’s less commercialized crafts. However, foreigners are buying and using our traditional crafts.

Craftsmanship has a very big potential for growth that will never disappear but always reflect the life of the people and the history of the country. So, Nepali Topi Day is to save our traditional culture and to save our pride identity.