Uttariya

Relief depicting men in dhotis and uttariya, 1st century AD

An uttariya is a piece of dress in India. It is scarf-like, and descends from the back of the neck to curl around both arms, and can be used to drape the top half of the body. It was usually made of fine cotton or silk.

It is still worn throughout Indian subcontinent and is traditionally worn over kurta, achkan or sherwani since classical age.

It was usually used in combination with the antariya, an ancient version of the dhoti, held with a sash or kayabandh. The uttariya could also be used as a turban, by both men and women.

Lay brothers of the Buddhist community would typically be dressed with the antariya, accompanied by an uttariya and a larger chadder, all colored in saffron.