Cosmetics, Costumes and Ornaments in Ancient India
by Remadevi. O. | 2009 | 54,177 words
This page relates 鈥楧ress Making: Embroidery鈥� of the study on cosmetics, costumes and ornaments of ancient India based on Sanskrit sources. Chapter one deals with cosmetics and methods of enhancing beauty; Chapter two deals with costumes, garments and dresses; Chapter three deals with ornaments for humans and animals. Each chapter deals with their respective materials, types, preparation and trade, as prevalent in ancient Indian society.
Go directly to: Footnotes.
3.5. Dress Making: Embroidery
The art of embroidery was known to people since Vedic times. Usually embroidered clothes were a sign of aristocracy. Clothes were embroidered with various designs. Sometimes golden threads were employed in embroidery.
笔别艣补蝉, Atka and Dr膩pi are some kinds of embroidered clothes mentioned in 峁欢惫别诲补[1]. In one place, Maruts are described as wearing golden Atka. In 痴腻箩补蝉补苍别测补-蝉补峁僪颈迟腻[2], a woman who stitches 笔别艣补蝉 is named as Pe艣ak膩r墨. In 叠峁沨补诲腻谤补峁噛补办补-耻辫补苍颈峁诲[3] also the term Pe艣ak膩r墨 is used to indicate a lady embroider.
The word 膧rokha in 艢补迟补辫补迟丑补-产谤腻丑尘补峁嘺[4] indicates clothes having designs of flowers, stars and other patterns. From the description of the U峁s in 峁欢惫别诲补[5], it can be inferred that young women wore clothes having embroidery works in golden threads. In one place, the horizons at sunrise and sunset are compared to the gold and red borders on each ends of a cloth. 笔补帽肠补惫颈峁兣沘-产谤腻丑尘补峁嘺[6] mentions 痴谤腻迟测补蝉 attired in clothes having blue borders. We have also reference to 狈墨惫颈 with decorated edges. Clothes were decorated with 罢耻峁 (Chaff) also. All these information point to the fact that Vedic people were experts in the art of embroidery.
In 痴腻濒尘墨办颈-谤腻尘腻测补峁嘺[7], we read of the embroidered apparel of 厂墨迟腻 and 搁腻惫补峁嘺. There in a context, we come across, 厂墨迟腻鈥檚 golden embroidered 鲍迟迟补谤墨测补 sticking into the blades of grass[8]. 搁腻惫补峁嘺鈥檚 night garment was embellished with golden fibers[9]. A wool embroidered with golden fibre made out of fox鈥檚 hair is mentioned in 惭补丑腻产丑腻谤补迟补[10].
碍腻濒颈诲腻蝉补[11] has mentioned silk clothes embroidered with swan designs very often. Ha峁僺acihnaduk奴la is a common expression.
Golden embroidered garments are mentioned by 顿补峁囜笉颈[12] also. In Buddhacarita[13], we come across 厂颈诲诲丑腻谤迟丑补 clad in a cloth embellished with golden swan.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
IV.367, II.35.14,V.74.5,VI.29.3, IX.107.13, 100.9, I.25.13
[2]:
30.9, 罢补颈迟迟颈谤墨测补-产谤腻丑尘补峁嘺, 3.4.5, 1
[3]:
IV.4.5
[4]:
3.1.3; K膩ty膩yana蝉补峁僪颈迟腻, 23.1; 罢补颈迟迟颈谤墨测补-蝉补峁僪颈迟腻, 6.1.1
[5]:
I.92.4
[6]:
17.14
[7]:
II.100.17
[8]:
Ibid
[9]:
Ibid, V.5.100
[10]:
厂补产丑腻辫补谤惫补, 47.3
[11]:
搁补驳丑耻惫补峁兣沘, XVII.25; 碍耻尘腻谤补蝉补尘产丑补惫补, V.6
[12]:
顿补艣补办耻尘腻谤补肠补谤颈迟补, p.201
[13]:
I.6,59