Pheta

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Pheta (Marathi: फेटा), also known as pataka, is a traditional turban worn in Maharashtra, India.^[1]

It is most common to find phetas at ceremonies such as weddings, as well as other festive, cultural, and religious celebrations, though it is not specifically in tradition to do so. In many areas, it is customary to offer male dignitaries a traditional welcome by offering them a pheta to wear. A traditional pheta is usually wrapped with a long, cotton cloth typically 3.5 to 6 metres (11 to 20 feet) long and 1 metre (3 feet 3 inches) wide. The fabric of the pheta is draped around the head in 6 to 7 rounds, with a small piece of fabric hanging loose like a tail, called the shemala. Some phetas are plain and single-colored, whereas some are lined and double-colored. The choice of color may indicate the occasion for which the main reason to wear it or maybe typical to the place they wear it for. Typical colors include saffron (to indicate velour) and white (to indicate peace). In the past, wearing a pheta was considered as a mandatory part of clothing.^[2]