The cotton male drape is an ancient and pragmatic ethnic piece of clothing worn by the Gadaba tribe from the two states of Odisha and Andhra Pradesh, ever so closest to nature and very intrinsic to culture. The coarsest of cotton was supposed to be used to make this kind of drape, which consists of two pieces of rectangular cloth, each interspersed at both ends by a thin strip of black border. Though quite simple in appearance, it assumes huge cultural importance and forms a part of day-to-day and ceremonial clothing for men of the Gadaba community. Its coarse cotton fabric ideally suits the hot humid climate of the Eastern Ghat region, primarily inhabited by the Gadabas. The fabric breathes; it is long-lasting, mostly hand-woven wool, and speaks highly of the tribe's tradition in textiles. The black strip of border design is subsided, yet symbolic, in its balance design in tribal style aesthetics and unity.
This is how a real Gadaba man wears and moves with this unique garment. It has been tied around the waist so that a body would be efficiently rocked without losing the comfort that is the hallmark of any agrarian lifestyle along forest lines. Hence, this is the attire for the Gadaba, whether it is often engaged in daily chores or during festivals, dances, or rituals. This kind of traditional attire narrates the beautiful collections of textiles existing in Indian tribal communities and is also yet another fabric conserved within the markers of identity and heritage by the Gadaba community.