Nepali Daura Suruwal Set with Dhaka Topi and Waistcoat

The daura suruwal is Nepal’s national dress for men — a cross-over tunic tied rather than buttoned, worn over trousers cut full at the seat and narrow at the ankle. Adding the istakot and the topi is what moves it from ordinary dress to festival dress, and it is how a Nepali man turns up when the whole male side of a family is dressed alike.

The tunic cloth is dry to the touch and matte, closer to a fine suiting than to shirting — it holds a crease through a long day and sits away from the skin in heat. Its edges are bound in a narrow Dhaka-patterned band that runs the full diagonal of the wrap, around the stand collar, over both cuffs, along the hem and its side slits, and again at the trouser ankles. Two fabric ties close the daura, one inside and one out, so nothing interrupts the line of the chest. The istakot is built differently: four buttons down a V-front, a welt pocket at the chest and two at the hip, and a plain dark back panel with a buckle strap to draw the waist in.

Worn as four pieces it reads as one outfit; taken apart, the istakot sits over a plain shirt and the topi finishes anything. Each piece is tailor-made to your measurements — after ordering, Bhutib contacts you directly to confirm fit and preferences, including the daura and suruwal lengths. Bhutib has been making Himalayan ethnic wear in Kalimpong since 2019, alongside tailors who stitch this same set for their own families.