Dress codes. Vetti white formal for temple, function. Lungi casual home not for temple. Selai saree daily, Kanjeevaram silk for wedding costs 5000 to 2 lakh.

Accessories. Pottu bindi – different: kumkum red for married, vibhoothi ash for religious? Both? Also sticker pottu modern.

When to wear:

• Temple: Men vetti/dhoti + no shirt or shirt? Some temples require angavastram and no shirt – like Guruvayur? In TN some temples men remove shirt over vetti.
• Wedding: Women Kanjeevaram silk selai, men vetti sattai + thundu gold border.
• Pongal: New clothes puthus puthusu – pudavai, vetti.
• Office: Shirt pant normal, but Ayutha Pooja vetti okay.

Pronunciation Tips:

• Vetti – vet-ti double t.
• Angavastram – an-ga-vas-tram long.
• Selai – se-lai with ai diphthong.
• Kanchipuram – kaan-chi-pu-ram silk city.
• Vibhoothi – vi-boo-thi ash long oo.

Common Mistakes:

• Wearing lungi to temple – may be denied entry in big temples like Meenakshi needs vetti.
• Calling pavadai thavani as langa voni? That’s Telugu, Tamil is pavadai thavani.
• Misplacing pottu size: small for daily, big for function? But personal choice.
• Not removing seruppu outside temple – must remove outside boundary.

Cultural Note: Kanjeevaram silk weaving heritage 400 years weavers. Coimbatore cotton light daily. Jungle? But Tamil Nadu handloom famous: Arani, Salem silk. Jasmine malligai from Madurai – city of jasmine. Malligai poo tied by women daily evening – fragrance. Kungumam vs vibhoothi: Shaivite vs Vaishnavite? Actually both used but vibhoothi Shaiva, namam Vaishnava. Dot pottu signifies third eye.

Practice:

1. Say dress today: Naan vetti sattai potrukken.
2. Wedding: Kanchipuram selai katta poren? Wearing?
3. Temple: Seruppu velila vidanum – leave outside footwear.
4. Flower: Malligai poo vaangi – buy jasmine.
5. Ask: Idhu kanchipuram pattu va?