Kabney and Rachu: A Visitor's Guide to Bhutan's Ceremonial Scarves

By Best of Bhutan Research Desk · October 26, 2026 · 7 min read

Walk into any dzong in Bhutan and you will see two pieces of cloth everywhere: the kabney, a long silk sash men wear over the gho, and the rachu, a narrow woven cloth women drape over the left shoulder. Both are part of driglam namzha, Bhutan's code of dress and etiquette, and both are expected when Bhutanese people enter a dzong, a temple or a government office.

The kabney also carries information. Its colour shows the wearer's rank or office, so a glance across a dzong courtyard tells you who is a minister, who is a judge and who is a village head. Once you know the colours, you can read the room.

In short: men wear a kabney from the left shoulder to the right hip; most are white, and colours are reserved for officials, up to saffron for the King and the Je Khenpo. Women wear a rachu over the left shoulder, and it does not show rank. As a visitor you do not wear either, but you will see them on your guide and on everyone else at the dzong.

Read the Scarf: Interactive Explorer

Pick a scarf to see who wears it, or switch to Quiz and test yourself on the kabney colours before your first dzong visit.

What Is a Kabney?

A kabney is a ceremonial sash of raw silk worn by men over the gho. Wikipedia gives its usual size as about 90 cm by 300 cm, with fringed ends. It is also called bura, meaning wild silk.

It is worn diagonally, from the left shoulder across the body to the right hip, and the length is gathered and folded so it sits neatly. Men wear it when they visit a dzong, enter a government office, attend official events and meet senior officials. Your guide will put one on before you walk into a dzong together.

Kabney Colours and What They Mean

The colour system ranks from saffron at the top down to white. The table below follows Wikipedia, Daily Bhutan and Little Bhutan.

A few points worth knowing:

• The red kabney can be an honour. Besides senior officials, the King can award the red scarf and the title Dasho to a civilian for outstanding service to the nation. Wikipedia describes it as one of the highest honours a Bhutanese civilian can receive. In that case, Daily Bhutan notes, the scarf recognises service rather than a post.
• Some colours have changed meaning. White with blue stripes was once worn by members of the old National Assembly, and blue by the former Royal Advisory Council. Since Bhutan became a parliamentary democracy in 2008, blue has gone to members of the two houses of Parliament.
• Sources differ on stripe details. Published descriptions of the striped white scarves do not always agree, so treat the stripe patterns above as a guide. Your guide can point out the scarves in person.

The photo at the top of this post shows the system at work: His Majesty the King and the Je Khenpo in saffron, with a man in a white kabney close by.

What Is a Rachu?

The rachu is the women's ceremonial cloth. Daily Bhutan describes it as "a narrow embroidered cloth draped over the left shoulder" that women wear when visiting a dzong or temple, or when appearing before senior officials. It goes on top of the kira (the ankle-length wrapped dress) and the toego (the short jacket).

Unlike the kabney, the rachu does not signal rank. The most common style is red with woven stripes, known as the ada rachu. Patterned rachus with more intricate woven designs are also made, and silk ones take weavers two to three months on the loom, according to The Bhutanese.

In 2016, culture officers of the Home Ministry issued a rule limiting women to the ada rachu style. The Bhutanese reported at the time that shops in Thimphu holding stocks of patterned rachus saw sales stop, and that weavers who depend on rachu orders were affected. For travellers, the takeaway is that the plain red striped rachu is the one you will see most often at dzongs and official events.

How the Kabney and Rachu Are Used

The scarves are part of everyday formality in Bhutan:

• Entering a dzong or temple. Bhutanese men put on the kabney and women the rachu before going in. You will often see people adjusting them at the dzong gate.
• Government offices. Officials and visitors to offices wear them, which is why so many people in Thimphu carry a kabney or rachu with them during the working day.
• Meeting senior officials and royalty. The scarf is part of showing respect. Daily Bhutan notes that without a kabney or rachu, the custom is to cover your mouth and bow.
• Festivals and ceremonies. At a tshechu held in a dzong courtyard, the crowd is a mix of white kabneys, striped rachus and the occasional coloured scarf of an official.

What Should Visitors Wear?

Foreign visitors are not expected to wear a kabney or rachu. What matters is modest, neat clothing when you visit dzongs, temples and monasteries:

• long sleeves and long trousers or a long skirt
• no shorts, short skirts, low-cut tops or sleeveless shirts
• hats off inside the dzong, and shoes off where your guide indicates
• a collared shirt is a good choice for dzongs and government buildings

Some visitors wear a gho or kira for a festival day. That is welcome, and your guide can help you put it on. If you do, ask your guide before adding a kabney or rachu, as they carry meaning in formal settings.

For more on what to pack, see our best time to visit guide, and for the buildings themselves, our guide to Bhutanese architecture and dzongs.

Where to See Them and Learn More

• Any dzong visit. Punakha Dzong, Tashichho Dzong in Thimphu and Rinpung Dzong in Paro all have steady traffic of officials and visitors in kabney and rachu on weekdays.
• Festivals. A tshechu is the best place to see the full range of scarves in one courtyard.
• The Royal Textile Academy, Thimphu. Its galleries cover weaving, regional patterns and royal dress. Our Royal Textile Academy guide covers the current exhibitions and includes an interactive kira pattern explorer.
• Handicraft shops in Thimphu. Many textile shops sell rachus, and a woven rachu is a practical souvenir. Ask your guide to take you to a shop that sells handwoven pieces and to explain the price difference between machine-made and handwoven cloth.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a kabney?

A kabney is a raw silk sash, about 90 cm by 3 m, worn by Bhutanese men over the gho from the left shoulder to the right hip. Men wear it to visit dzongs and government offices, and its colour shows the wearer's rank.

What does a white kabney mean?

A plain white fringed kabney is worn by ordinary citizens. It is the kabney you will see most often, including on your guide.

Who wears the saffron kabney?

Only His Majesty the King of Bhutan and the Je Khenpo, the chief abbot of the Central Monastic Body.

What is the difference between a kabney and a rachu?

The kabney is the men's sash, worn diagonally across the body, and its colour shows rank. The rachu is the women's narrow cloth, draped over the left shoulder, and it does not show rank.

Do tourists need to wear a kabney or rachu in Bhutan?

No. Visitors should dress modestly for dzongs and temples, with long sleeves and long trousers or skirts, but are not expected to wear a kabney or rachu.

Can I buy a rachu as a souvenir?

Yes. Textile and handicraft shops in Thimphu sell rachus, from machine-made to handwoven silk. Handwoven pieces cost more because of the weeks or months of loom work involved.

Sources

• Wikipedia, Kabney
• Daily Bhutan, The different types of ceremonial scarves in Bhutan
• Daily Bhutan, Driglam Namzha: Why the Bhutanese do what they do
• Little Bhutan, Different types of Kabneys (ceremonial scarves)
• The Bhutanese, Weavers and shopkeepers get affected by Ada Rachu rule, 2016
• Windhorse Tours, How do you dress in Bhutan and what kind of dress code is expected of visitors?

Planning a cultural trip to Bhutan? Talk to us about timing your visit with a dzong festival, where you will see kabney and rachu worn in full.