Kachera + Elastic

[Jaggaa]

Was discussing with some fellow sangat about how Kachera should be the way they were in Guru Jee's time etc, standard long nala and whatnot. Someone mentioned something which I thought might be valid and I thought i'd share with you to see what you thought. Say if you keep the kachera as it is, with it's nala and every other cut the way it is suppose to be however you ADD elastic around the waist. So the theory was that you arn't taking anything away from the kachera but just adding an elastic layer which in effect helps with it from falling down etc.

What are your thoughts on that. Also are their any quotes from any rehitnama's which are AGAINST 'elastic' in kachera etc.

[Gurbar Akaal]

The simple question would be, why?

If your kachera is tied in the proper way, it will never fall down.

[Jaggaa]

Gurbar Akaal I think it was more about when you are going to the toilet etc, but this doesn't answer the question though.

[Paneer Monster]

kachera are traditionally white because dirt shows on white

kachera dont fall with a nala

personally i believe kachera should always be white and have nala.

only times kachera should have elastic is for old or disabled people

i know today some singhs think ck boxers suffice for kachera.... sangat have started changing sikh traditions with no good reason.

[Jaggaa]

Where I don't disagree with you, however the thing about Kachera's remaining how they are but just adding an elastic strip to it for whatever reason should or shouldn't be anything wrong. Boxers are boxers, kachera is a kachera and that's not the question here. Just because boxers have these elastic strips in them doesn't mean using them would be wrong in other garments if they serve a practical purpose.

The question : Get a traditional kachera (with it's nala, all the original cuts etc) Add a elastic strip to the inside. Wrong yes/no?

I guess there isn't a straight forward answer and probably situational : "only times kachera should have elastic is for old or disabled people"

[jassa]

The reason i think for nalla in kashera is

It should have chunta in front so that when u take a bath it doesnt stick with ur skin and exposes unlike underwear that why its made 3 times your waist and when you tie your nala 3 times more cloth covers your waist which results in "vaat" and when u loosen ur nalla it gets back to normal size and drys faster.

If you put elastic measuring ur waist these "vaat" will be there forever and it will take much more time to dry.

[xtremesingh18]

nala is there so that kashereh dont fall. if you want elastic to make going to the toilet easier then that would suggest that your nala would also be loose in the first place and so its not serving its purpose. adding elastic essentially makes kashereh look like boxers. by having a nala, there is a lot of loose kapra around the edges which is what makes kashereh so baggy.

i think you would have a lot of problems trying to even create kashereh which have a nala and elastic.

it takes me 5 secs to do my nala, i dont think those few seconds are going to make a difference to the rest of your day.

[ShaanKaur]

In my opinion the Nala serves a practical purpose. In the time it takes to tie it, you contemplate the kacchera meaning and in the time it takes to untie it you have to consider what you are about to do. As kacchera represent modesty, chastity and readiness to fight. As a female though I see how the elastic ones make it easier to wear modern western clothing. Just another excuse to wear bana or traditional suits, haha. I tend to wear a lot of men's pants and shorts as they have more room for the bagginess of traditional kaccha.

[pardesanbibbi2]

The best things ever invented in the entire history of mankind for a Sikh are Kacherrays, Kanga, Kirpayn, Karra and Dastaar.  Please, don't change anything, leave our Kakkaars as they are.  They are precious gifts to us from our Guru Sahiban, so treasure them. Guard them with your life.

[jkvlondon]

SIkhs are meant to be practical not just dogmatic , if a singh or singhni is unable to tie retie nala due to arthritis/stroke or small bhujangys elastic is better than stopping wearing kaccherey , of course with the young we can teach them and replace elastic with nala when they are ready. A Kachera is not a boxer even if you put elastic in due to the folds and cut it preserves your modesty better than any other underwear on the planet do not denigrate it by saying such ill thought things