Essay name: Bhasa (critical and historical study)
Author: A. D. Pusalker
This book studies Bhasa, the author of thirteen plays ascribed found in the Trivandrum Sanskrit Series. These works largely adhere to the rules of traditional Indian theatrics known as Natya-Shastra.
Page 460 of: Bhasa (critical and historical study)
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FESTIVITIES, SPORTS AND PASTIMES.
Primitive man was a gregarious animal and the
tendency continued till a comparatively late period in the
Vedic age. The Vedic Indian used to amuse himself in
chariot-racing and hunting. There were also festive
assemblies in which there was much of music and dance.
At the occasion of sacrifices and such other great
assemblies, many diversions were found in which all took
part. The amusements, festivities and sports of the
Hindus are characteristically wound up with some religious
ceremony or episode, and there is possibly nothing in the
life of the Hindus which is not connected with religion,
ritual or moral duty in some way or the other. Some
festivities occur in the form of thanks-givings, or to greet
the arrival of seasons, etc. Till a very late period when
the Smrti writers curtailed the freedom of women and
paved their way with thorns, women used to mix freely in
all such festivities and gatherings.
The Kartika festival was an occasion of great
rejoicing in the Buddhist age and the city was swept clean
and was decorated with banners, garlands and buntings,
and scents and perfumes were to be found everywhere.
The city is said to have appeared like some city of the gods.
The king marched in the city in pompous procession at
sunset when the full moon had risen in the sky and every
quarter in the city was blazing with torches. Citizens of
both sexes in their best dress and ornaments took part in
the sport connected with the festival which was at times
characterized by strong drinks."
There are references to a number of sports and
festivities in our plays. Indramaha and Dhanurmaha
were, it appears, the festivals of the cowherds. The city
used to be decorated for the Dhanurmaha and a vast
stadium was specially prepared for wrestling bouts and
other feats such as the bending of a special bow etc.,
connected with the festival. The king sent invitations to
number of celebrated wrestlers and citizens to attend the
festival. The king himself attended the main fights and
observed them from the balcony of his palace.
Indramaha was a ceremony connected with Indra and the
1 Jataka Nos. 147, 150, 276, 528.
