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Kathasaritsagara (cultural study)

by S. W. Chitale | 1975 | 109,498 words

This essay studies the Kathasaritsagara reflecting the history and cultural traditions of that period in Ancient India. The Katha-sarit-sagara, written by Somadeva, is a vast collection of nearly 350 stories compiled into 18 books. It holds immense cultural significance by reflecting diverse aspects of medieval Indian society, encompassing various ...

Ornaments and Dress of ancient India

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In those days women as well as men were fond of ornaments. Not only ornaments of precious metals and jewels (ratnas) were used by the ladies but garlands (Malas) 791. Nirnaya Sagar 6.7.13, 4.3.37, 7.5.202. 792. Ibid. 6.7.93. also see Vikramankade wacharita,x p.44-68 793. Ibid. 7.4.33. 794. Ibid. 10.2.15 to 21. 795. Salatore R.N. Op. cit., p.123. 796. Ibid. 12.25.42, 7.3.5, 7.9.64, 6.8.93. 797. Ibid. 12.3.5, 9.5.40, 14.2.52. 798. Ibid. 12.35.115, 7.3.5, 10.1.149, 12.3.5.

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} 427 fruits (phalas) and flower ornaments of various colouredflowers were also used by them to adorn themselves. We have references to the garland-makers (malakaras) who used 799 to make beautiful and attractive garlands. It is mentioned that Kalingasena wore bracelet and necklace of lotus fibres. 800 and Padmavati also. Also daughters if King Devashakti and Rupashikha had necklace of lotus fibres and a garland 801 (vanamala) round their neck. Ladies of Sankhapura had 802 garlands of flowers on their braids. Lotus was used as an ear ornament. Queen Indulekha of Ujjayini had a blue 803 lotus in her ear and again Kalavati is said to have concealed her lover Thinthakarala in a lotus which she 804 placed as an ornament in her ear (karnotpala ntare). Necklace of 'gunja' fruits were worn by the Sabara ladies 805 of the Vindhaya mountains when they were merilly dancing. Elsewhere it is mentioned that Mandaryati has a necklace, a zone a string of bells and other ornaments of ladies made of forest-flowers. (harakanchikalap). Rupashikha also 806 ordered Sringabhunja to throw garland of forest-flowers Srin 807 round her neck. 799. Nirnaya Sagar 18.4.263, 3.5.99, 10.6.227, 3.2.31. 800. Ibid. 8.7.166. 801. Ibid. 9.5.62, 7.5.112. 802. Ibid. 13.1.88. 803. Ibid. 12.18.11. 804. Ibid. 18.2.128. 805. Ibid. 18.5.50. 806. Ibid. 12.34.232. 807. Ibid. 7.5.107,113 According to Bharata_wearing of flowers meant, also the 'alamkarani. Natyasastra, chap. XXV 10.

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428 The chambers of kings and princesses were adorned with bunch of flowers. It is mentioned that the chamber of princess Hamsavali was performed with aloes adorned with bunch of 808 flowers of fine hues arranged. Ornaments Innumerable are our references to the various ornaments in the stories from the Kathasaritsagara It appears that the gold-smith (hemakara) had a flourishing trade. The gold-smith along with the jeweller (ratnatatvadnya), engraver (ritibaddha) and ivory-carver (dantaghataka) of different commercial cities such as Varanasi, Sravasti, Pratisthana, Tamralipti, Pataliputra Vallabhi, Ujjayani etc. are referred to. 1/21 Materials Gold (suvarna), silver (rauppaya), diamonds (ratnas), pearls (mauktikas), crystals (sphatikas), jets (tarksharatnas), quartz, corals, rubies (padmaragas), sapphires, emeralds, moon-stones (chandrakants), sun-stones were used in the making 810 and fashioning the various ornaments. The art of cutting and 811 polishing jems was known. Gold ornaments were set with jems. Beads of precious metals and jewels have been mentioned. art of inlaying must have been known since we have many 808. Nirnaya Sagar 12.7.232. The 809. Ibid. 5.2.174,7.9.72,5.1.178,179. 12.6.326,1288-81,82,85. 810. Ibid. 16.1.14,18, 12.17.48, 4.1.10, 5.1.178, 17.6.24, 4.2.216, 10.1.106, 18.2.156, 12.6.339, 9.6.49,12.4.7, 12.35.81, 4.2.96, 18.4.131. A list of jewels in the contemporary lexicons include crystal, sun-stone, emerald, ruby, coral, diamond, sapphire,lapes-lazuli; Vaijyanti, 44,37-41, Abhilasartha Chintamani, 424-426. 811. Ibid. 13.1.98.

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429 references to chairs, lamps, bed-steads, thrones, royal cars and various ornaments used by kings and rich people, 812 inled with gold and other precious jewels. We have also 812 A rings and bracelets on which names were engraved. Kinds of Ornaments The various kinds of ornaments mentioned in the Kathasaritsagara : String of pearls (hara) mukta-hara or muktavali, string of jewels (Lolahara, latahara or haralata), a single string of pearls (ekavati), a single string of jewels (ratnavali), jewelled necklace (kantha, ratnakantha), necklace (balahara), crest-jewel (ratnamurdha, chudaratna, sikhaman or siromani), crown or diadem (mukuta, kirita), crest of gold (survarnachutam afmlet for the upper arm (keyura), bracelet (valaya,kankana, katakam), bracelet with jewels (ratnakankana), ear-ring (karnabhushana, karnika, karnanupura), ear-ring with jewels (kundala), ivory-ear-ring (dantapatra), ring (anguli ring (anguli ), ring with jewels (ratnanguli), ring with the name (angulimudra), girdle (mekhala), anklet (nupura), jewelled-anklet (mannupura) 813 and forehead-ornament (tilaka). 812. Nirnaya Sagar 6.8.48, 4.2.43, 9.1.186, 12.6.338, 5.3.48,8.7.156, 12.36.207, 8.2.291. 812 A. Ibid. 10.1.11, 12.6.356. $ 813. Ibid. 4.2.224, 12.23.154, 15.5.118, 8.2.152, 6.8.219,5.1.9 10.9.112, 12.7.328, 6.7.211, 7.2.111, 7.3.16,17,13.1.164 10.1.9,10, 14.4.131, 10.5.24,4.2.91, 17.2.11,18.1.106, 10.1.11, 1744.54, 18.1.107, 4.1.82, 12.36.105/1,4.1.85, 90, 3.6.203, 5.1.9,12.27.10,91,12.8.73,12.5.61,12.8.163, 18.5.166,3.4.238,3.2.50, 10.7.31,3.4.261,18.4.292,12.8.102, 10.3.5,10.5.24,1.5.32,13.1.164,165, 17.5.164,10.5.24. 8.2.234,13.1.164,165,5.2.152,8.2.234. For a long list of various ornaments in ancient India see Jain J.C.Op.cit., p.98, also see Saletore R.N.Op. cit., p.425; Contemporary male and female ornaments are seen on the sculptures at Bhuvaneshwar, Mujumdar R.C.Op.cit., Vol. V. p.486,487.

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Ornaments of the Males 430 The following ornaments were worn by men: - Mukuta or Kirita (crown), chudaratna (crest-jewel), Suvarnachulam (crest of gold), Siromani (diadem), Kundala (ear-rings), Hara (string of pearls), muktahara or muktavali (string of pearls), ekavali (a single string of pearls), kantha (jewelled necklace) a keyura (armlet for the upper arm), valaya (bracelet), anguli (ring) ratnanguli(jewelled ring). The bracelet of king Udayana was marked with his name. 814 Ornaments of females The following were the ornaments of the ladies :Chudaratna or ratnamurdha (crest-jewel), Karnabhusana, Karnapura, Karnika (ear-rings), dantapatra (ivory-ear-rings), hara, muktavali, muktahara (string of pearls), ekavali (a single string of pearls), ratnavali, lolahara, latahara (string of jewels), kantha (string of jewels), kankana, Kataka (bracelets), ratnakankana (jewelled-bracelet), anguli (ring), ratnanguli (jewelled-ring), makhala, (girdle), nupura (anklets), maninupura (jewelled-anklets), Tilaka (fore-head ornament). These ornaments were worn by the ladies at the time 815 of marriages, festivals or religious functions. 814. Nirnaya Sagar 10.1.11. This is practised in India since a remote past, see Marshall Taxila, Vol.II, p.448-49. 815. Ibid. 18.4.176,18.5.164, 4.2.91,8.7.133-140.

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431 Ornaments were made not only for men but also for animals, as we often notice kings fond of adorning their elephants and horses with finery, such as gold, trappings, girths and network of gold. Thus the horse of Udayana was 816 decorated with golden trappings, and the horses of the cavalry unit of a certain king were decorated with trappings and 817 girth (mekhala). Dress --Clothing was one of the main necessity of life. People had a taste for good clothing, perfumes, ornaments and garlands. A 820 was 818 Cotton clothes were commonly worn. Suit of cloths the ordinary dress. It consisted of the upper garment (uttariya, 819 the lower garment (adhariya) and the turban cloth (patta). One was wrapped around the loins, one thrown over the shoulder and the third was used as a turban. Lengthy silken as well 821 as cotton garments are mentioned. Chinam suka was famous. Cloth was produced in great quantity and was even exported to foreign countries in leather-bags (charmapetikas) carried by the 822 caravan traders, but the china-cloth (chinamshuka) was imported 823 824 from China and sold in market. The king and the rich people wore costly dress. From the references from Kathasaritsagara we may say that kings wore turbans 816. Nirnaya Sagar 3.5.67. 817. Ibid. 3.4.88. 818. Ibid. 12.34.183, 12.8.96, 10.7.31, 12.36.42. 819. Ibid. 12.36.42. 12.14.21. 820. Ibid. 2.4.190. 821. Ibid. 8.1.131,177, 7.9.42, 12.11.17, 2.4.150. 822. Ibid. 10.6.195, 12.83.22. 823. Ibid. 7.9.75,89.Also see [email protected]. Op. cit., p.144. 824. Ibid. 12.11.17.

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432 e with crests adorned with jewels, had golden and pearl necklaces round the necks and were dressed in robs of the finest Q silk and wool. Kinds of garments (vastras) Apart from the garments mentioned above, different kinds of garments were worn on different occasions. We have references to garments worn daily, at the festivals and fairs and used when visiting kings and rich people. Materials The cloth (vastra) was made from the fibres of silk A Kashaya), kashaya), wool (urna), cotton (tula), bark (bhurja) and leather (charma). Cotton was grown in Magadha in a large quantity since we have a reference to a heap of cotton in a house at 825 Pataliputra. We have also references to curtains, screans and canopy adorned with precious stones and jewels. Kinds of Cloth The various kinds of cloth that have been mentioned in Kathasaritsagara are as follows:- 826 827 Blue cloth (Kasa kusuma or neela vastra), patta fibres, 828 829 china silk (chinamsuka), red-coloured cloth (raktambara), 825. Nirnaya Sagar 18.5.212. 826. Ibid. 12.4.22,23. 827. Ibid. 12.6.339. 828. Ibid. 8.1.177,131. 829. Ibid. 9.5.113.

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830 433 832 833 red-silken cloth (raktamsuka), spotless white cloth (sitavastra amila), spotless cloth (sitam suka), silk (kashaya), 834 blanket (kambala), white smooth cloth (dhauta su shlaksha- 835 836 838 mapata), black blanket (krishna kambala), dark-green cloth 837 (palasha shayama), black cloth (timiram suka), white cloth 839 840 841 (jotsnavastra), raiment (sitam vastra), and a (dhavalavastra), garment of leather (charmakhandikavasana). A black-antelopes skin is also said to have been worn by shrisena of Malva. Dying of Chothes 842 This industry appears to be well developed. This is apparent from the foregoing paragraph which lists cloths of many colours viz. blue, black, red, dark-blue, crimson, white and spotless-white etc. Dress We have already seen that people wore two pieces of cloth (uttariya and adhariya) and put the turban (patta) on the head. Also the costly, elegant, splendid and precious 843 dress is mentioned, Precious appexets are also mentioned. 830. Nirnaya Sagar 4.2.63, 12.6.364. 831. Ibid. 14.2.137. 832. Ibid. 2.1.26. 833. Ibid. 12.28.17. 834. Ibid. 10.6.21. 835. Ibid. 12.15.38,39. 836. Ibid. 6.3.165, 6.4.165, 10.5.21, 10.8.118. 837. Ibid. 4.1.11. 838. Ibid. 12.19.97,12.36.203/2, 12.6.339,283. 839. Ibid. 13.1.165, 6.3.53, 7.1.2. 840. Ibid. 14.3.39. 841. Ibid. 9.3.2,12. 842. Ibid. 12.6.113. 843. Ibid. 8.1.132%; The contemporary sculpture also indicate this dress, Mitra, Antiquities of Orisa, Pl. XXII, XXVII and XXVIII.

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$34 2. Male Garments Men wore the Kamchuka. It is mentioned that Udayana went for hunting clad in a vest (Kamchuka) of dark-green 844 colour as the 'palasha' tree. Chinamsuka was also used by men as an upper garment. Mrigankadatta is said to have worn dark-blue garments (neelavasana) when he went out for 845 King Trivikrama sena wore bbue-cloth night adventures. 846 847 (nelava sana). It is mentioned that the attendants of King Kanakafarsha were clad in red robes (raktam) abarais. The 848 crimson robe (raktambara) of Asura Maya is referred to; and a Buddhist monk who used to wear red robes is also 849 Bhimabhata when he entered the hall of audience. mentioned. Lata of the king of Lata had put on a magnificent costume 850 (uddamavesha). A courtesan named Madanamala wore a pellucide (jotshna) raiment. Kalinga sena bestowed beautiful 862 robes on the minister of Narayahandatta. The gate-keeper of Naravahanadatta was clothed in garments of leather. Female Garments The following garments were worn by females: White garments, robes or skirts (amsuka) of fine, white 854 855 garments, splendid or white raiment, white bodice (dhavala 844. Nirnaya Sagar 4.1.11. 845. Ibid. 12.4.22,23. 846. Ibid. 12.8.41. 847. Ibid. 9.5.113. 848. Ibid. 8.2.4. 849. Ibidl 12.6.364. 850. Ibid. 12.2.153. 851. Ibid. 7.4.124, Also see Mujumdar R.C.Op.cit., Vol. V. p.488. 852. Ibid. 6.8.129. 853. Ibid. 9.3.2. 854. Ibid. 12.18.16, 855. Ibid. 13.1.160-162, 14.3.39,7.4.124.

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856 857 435 kanchuka), pulaka, the veil (avagunthana or niranga) or 858 the garment that covered the face, spotless white garment 859 860 (amila), and a thin silken garment (kashayavastra), 881 The splendid dress (maharhavesham) suibale to a courtesan (ganika) is mentioned. We have a reference to an under-garment of a nymph which was used by her while taking 862 bath. The upper garment of ladies seems to be fairly long 863 enough. Anangmanjari was elegantly dressed in a thin silken 864 garment (kam shaya samvita tanu). Often the splendid bridal- (kar shaya 865 dress (vadhu-vesa) is mentioned. The inner and outer (uttariya) garments on the body of Shashaykavati are also 866 mentioned. The queens and the rich ladies used costly and splendid garments. At times these garments were perfumed with musk, sandle-wood, camphor or other scents. Thus we find that the wife of the Savara chief Ekakakesarin had her 867 garments perfumed with musk. 856. The Kamchuka measured two and half hands in length and one in width. It was firmly tied on both the sides of the waist and covered the brest, Jain J.C., Op.cit., p.132(Foot note). 857. Nirnaya Sagar 13.1.165/1, 12.36.42, 12.7.253.7.9.75. 858. Ibid. 13.1.162,193, 12.4.167, 3.3.128. 859. Ibid. 14.2.137. 860. Ibid. 12.28.17. 861. Ibid. 18.5.173. 862. Ibid. 14.4.69. 863. Ibid. 13.1.139,1622.70. 864. Ibid. 12.28.17. 865. Ibid. 9-1.223/1, 13.1.165. 866. Ibid. 12.36.42. 867. Ibid. 18.4.51. Also see, Mujumdar R.C.Op.cit., Vol.II p.574.

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436 We also come across various other terms such as couch, bed-sheets, cushions, mattresses, coverlets, quilt, pillows, curtains, shawls, carpets and screens which were, at times, adorned with precious stones and 868 jewels. A canopy of flashing fewels in the bed-room of 869 courtesan Sundari is mentioned. It is mentioned that the e � � 871 feasting-hall of Naravahanadatta was strewn with coverlets and hung with curtains and screens full of all kinds 870 delicacies and enjoyment (vividha hara harinam vastram...). A bed composed of seven mattresses with white smooth sheets and coverlets laid upon is referred to. Again it is mentioned that princess Anangmanjari used to sleep on a bed which was covered with a pure white-silk quilt 872 (dhauta sitapattotarachhade). China silk and simple garments were sold in great quantity in the markets at Ujjayini, Mathura, Kanchi and 873 many commercial cities.

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