ਦਰਜ਼ੀ

Darzi (ਦਰਜ਼ੀ), pronounced dur-zee, is the Punjabi word for a tailor: a person who takes measurements, cuts cloth and stitches it into clothes that fit. It is a common noun used for the tailor at work, man or woman. From a wedding suit to a school uniform, the darzi turns kapra, cloth, into something ready to wear.

Meaning

Punjabi lists give ਦਰਜ਼ੀ as the direct word for a tailor, and the occupation lists place the darzi among the everyday village and town trades, beside the barber, the carpenter and the blacksmith. A longer, descriptive way of saying the same thing is kapra seena wala, the one who stitches cloth. Ready made clothes have changed the trade, but the word darzi still points to the person, not the shop: the one pair of hands that measures, cuts and sews.

How is darzi used in everyday speech?

A visit to the darzi starts with the naap, the measurements, taken with the tape around the neck, chest and waist, and written down in a notebook kept for each customer. Then comes cutting, stitching on the machine, a fitting, and small corrections before the clothes are handed over. In Punjab the darzi is busiest before weddings and festivals, when kurta pajamas, salwar suits and coat pants are ordered together, and a good darzi is known by one test above all: the fit.

Does a darzi only stitch new clothes?

No. Along with stitching new clothes, a darzi alters and repairs old ones: taking in a loose kurta, shortening trousers, replacing buttons and fixing torn seams. For many families that repair work is the everyday reason for a visit, while a full new suit is the wedding season exception.

What is the busiest time for a darzi?

The weeks before a wedding are the busiest, with festival days close behind. Orders pile up, delivery dates are promised carefully, and the machine in a busy darzi shop can run from morning to night until the last outfit is collected.