Dupatta was once considered an integral part of our dress code, especially in the Indo-Pakistan subcontinent. The long floating scarves covered the hair and breasts of women and were considered a symbol of femininity. Which distinguished our women from those who belong to Western society.
Unfortunately, over the decades, the influence of foreign influence and the general lack of understanding of women’s empowerment have forced our women to abandon these beautiful scarves of their clothes.
It is common to see women dressed in shirts (kameez) with shalwar, pants, stockings or cigarette pants without any sign of dupatta. Personally, I think their dress is incomplete, as if they had forgotten a significant part of their clothes at home. A dupatta adds grace, charm and beauty to a woman’s appearance and is by no means an obstacle or a problem for her.
After years of hesitation, I finally decided to write about this controversial topic. To do this, I thought it would be appropriate to consider the opinions of today’s girls.
Mostly women say that dupatta never protect them from being bullied by Men so what is the use of it? Mostly women express their views on social media and keep saying that: If a dupatta was all that was needed to end the harassment in this country, believe me, men would be willing to embody too. But the problem of bullying goes beyond the dupatta. It is intimately linked to women’s subjugation, patriarchy, objectification and the way our society sees women.
The wearing of the dupatta should avoid any form of undesirable male advancement. However, I would like to say to my constituents that this is not the case may be but this does not mean that you stop wearing dupatta. I had men watch me while I was covered from head to toe, wearing what you consider our “complete cultural dress code”: shalwar, kameez and dupatta! But Men stare me too but I never stop wearing dupatta, I keep always my head cover because I not only feel comfortable but I know the teaching of Islam:
“And tell the believing women to lower their eyes, and guard their modesty, and that they display not their ornaments except what appears of them.”(An-Nur: 31)
Although we are covered, we were a victim of men leaving colorful notes with their phone numbers in the rearview mirror. In addition to ridicule are those men who seem to carry a pile of post-it to leave with their number of disinterested women graciously in our society, hijab or dupatta, sexual harassment continues but the only thing kept in mind we are only answerable before Allah not what society want from us or what if we stop bothering everything.
Therefore, to conclude, I just want to convince women that giving up their dupatta is not a status symbol, nor is it highly qualified, progressive or liberal. It’s just a confusing question of what is modern and chic. I would like to ask the women who have left the dupattas, due to peer pressure or the bad desire to be described as progressives, to promote their own culture instead of a foreign culture.
Dupattas may not be “fashionable” for some women these days, but they are definitely not left out for others. This is the main reason why all designers continue to promote three-piece suits and have not yet committed to the length or width of a dupatta. I firmly believe that the dupattas are an integral part of our cultural dress code and will not get carried away by the wind, no matter what happens.
“Everything precious is covered!!! A woman modestly dressed is like a pearl in it’s shell.”
