Toda is a special pastoral tribe in the Nilgiri Hills of Tamil Nadu-A India, and they are very proud to possess a uniqueness of the culture, style of dressing, and textiles produced. Its near-recognizable dark blue cloth referred to as a pass is perhaps nowadays the most common traditional attire of the tribe, which, according to custom, has now became an accessory to the ordinary draped clothes associated with them. It is a long piece of cloth, generally dark blue, with white stripes running parallel along the length of the cloth, where at both ends narrow lines have been woven in geometric designs. Said designs serve as intricate representations that bear the meaning of the symbolic language and artistic heritage. Such woven designs include patterns that depict elements of the natural world or are associated with spiritual matters, all entwined more than ever within the Toda cosmology.
Silk-thread tassels decorate both ends and allow for an elegant overall feel of the fabric. Such sashes would be used in tribal ceremonies, celebrations, and communal activities. Thus, they are not mere adornments but rest on aspects of identity and status. This sash, like many other sashes of the Toda mentioned above, comes under the hand looming process and is to be considered as belonging to a much broader tradition of embroidery known as pukhoor, having been practiced predominantly by the Toda women. These textiles have received Geographical Indication status from the Government of India based on their cultural and artistic value in Indian society.