A gamchha (alternate spellings gamocha, gamchcha, gamcha, et al., Bengali: গামছা) is a thin, coarse, traditional cotton towel found in India and Bangladesh that is used to dry the body after bathing or wiping sweat. The term "gamchha" derives from the Bengali গা মোছা (gā mochha), which means "wiping (the) body". Gamchha is the local term for a sweat towel.It is often just worn on one side of the shoulder.However its appearance varies from region to region. Gamchhas are most commonly found with check and striped patterns of red, orange or green. Plain white gamchhas with coloured (embroidered or printed) borders from Orissa and Assam (for traditional Assamese Gamchha, please check Gamosa) are local handicrafts, and may be worn around the neck with traditional Indian attire. In western parts, gamchhas are primarily made in red colour and are plain like cloth. In southern India, gamchhas are more coarse and are available in various dyes. Even home made light weight fur towels are also popularly termed as gamchhas. Gamchhas remain popular in South Asian Countries, especially in the Indian states of Bihar, West Bengal, Jharkhand and the Purvanchal region, because they are not as thick as Western-style towels and better suited to the country's tropical, humid climate.In Afghanistan they are also used and are commonly referred to as dismaal.They may also be found in Central Asian, Middle Eastern and Turkish hamams as a traditional male loin cloth and towel worn during bathing and massage.
Gamchhas are also worn as knee long loin cloths by people of the poorer sections of society, especially menial labourers and farm workers.They are also used as a headscarf, similar to the Middle Eastern Keffiyeh in rural areas.Gamchas can be turned into an effective weapon against wolfs, leopards, wild dogs or feral dogs or even dacoits, by knotting a large stone pebble into one end and using it like bolas.
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