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Man's attempt to meet the primary necessities of life or his attempt to feed and cloth himself and his family led to the development of his economic life.51 But unfortunately while referring to the economic life of the people of Kamrupa, no direct sculptural reflections are there to observe at Madan-Kamdev and all the deliberations have to be made here only on some indirect evidences. 52 Accordingly, the sculptures of Madan-Kamdev, affix mainly to the narathara section of the main temple plinth have 'successfully projected the life of a high born people in the society. Like in other parts of India, the ideal of feudalism worked as a catalyst behind the existence of these aristocrate people in the society of Kamrupa. The basis of feudalism is an agricultural society, features with penal servitude, house slaves, purchased entertainer of all sorts and harem slaves. In the country like Kamrupa, the kings tried to accelerate the process of cultivation by donating waste land to the newly migrated Brahman who had equipped with advance technique of agriculture. The extensiveness of cultivation work under the supervision of feudal lords is proved when the areas of all donated land are expressed in term of the measures of paddy that they produced. In other word it can safely be said that though the sculptures of Madan-Kamdev have reflected. nothing to the agricultural structure of the society, but still the life depicted here, certainly have some link with agricultural economy of the country. 52. 53 51. Agarwal, U. : Op-cit, 1995, p.161. Kosambi, D.D. : Op-cit, 1994, p.24. Choudhury, N.D.: Op-cit, 1985, p.235. 53.

237 Giving more wider dimension to the country's agricultural set up, number of sculptural reflections (though indirect in nature) are there at Madan-Kamdev, which virtually refers to the existence of different village and cottage industries in Kamrupa as a subsidiary modes of country's economy. The evolution of industries or the growth of craft is always directly proportionate to the prosperity of a country. Throughout the period of history, Assamese industrial products and their craftsmen have enjoyed a great deal of reputation in India and abroad 54 which is nothing but a signal of an overall economic prosperity of a country. Among the industries, textile was the most proficient industries of Kamrupa at one time. Number of literary references are already there to prove the existence of a professional group engaged with this weaving industries. Supporting all those clauses of literary evidences, the sculptures of Madan-Kamdev have showed the preference of different kind of cloth.56 Among them, mention should be made about the diaphanous or 54. Barua, B.K. Op-cit, 1986, p.103. 55. Kautilya refers to the varieties of fibrous garment known as 'patrorna' and of them the product hailed from Suvarnakundya of Assam considered to be the best. 56. Barua, B.K. Op-cit, 1986, P-104. Among the presented item that Bhaskar Varman sent to Harsha there was a piece of silken cloth which was as smooth as birch bark. Goswami, J. (tr.) Harshacarita, 1996, p.110) The Kalika Purana has also refers four varieties of cloth in Kamrupa, namely Balkalong, Kokhajang, Shanang, Romajang (Kalika Purana 68/12). Dress and ornaments according to sculpture always have a question mark because Indian sculpture in execution have always followed the rules of the Silpa-Sastras.

238 transparent garments, as indicated in the earlier chapter of our study. For all type of textile production (Whether thin, painted or embroidered) normally three stages are there i.e. spinning, weaving and lace making. That means, textile industries in Kamrupa might have flourished in combination of three different type of professionals-spinner, weaver and lace makers. Along with that two other important vocations are there to survive with the professions of cloth makings and they are dyeing and embroidery. In ancient Assam, there was a group of professional known as Rajak who had earned their bread and butter by using colour made out of the staff of flower (Kusumba) to the cloths. 57 Supporting this the Kalika Purana has made number of indirect references where it asked worshipper to use different coloured cloths for the use of different deities. As for example, lord Siva and Vishnu need to be worship with red and blue colour cloth respectively. Eminent scholar Pradip Chaliha while referring to the list of present dispatch by Kumar Bhaskar Varman of Kamrupa to Harsha of Thaneshwar, tried to state that the pillow as smooth as the skin of a deer, might be a product covering with silken cloth of dyed thread. Along with that literary evidences are also there to prove the existence of an embroidery professionals. This time also the Kalika Purana. serve as the best available literary evidence to support the cause for the existence of this profession in Kamrupa as it directed the Worshipper to make gift of embroidery clothes to their respective deities. 57. 58. 59. 58 59 Chaliha, P. Purani Axamor Karikori Khilpa(As), 1998, p.115. Kalika Purana 69/9-15. Chaliha, P. Op-cit, 1998, p.114.

239 However, it is now quite difficult to assess the matter of these allied professions of textile industries on the light of available sculptural evidences here at Madan-Kamdev as the age old erosion have already abolished the smooth plastic texture of the sculptures. Only few sculptural exuberance supported the cause for the suppose existence of embroidery and dyeing professions in Kamrupa. Tailoring was an another important subsidiary profession of textile industries. While describing the life of the people of Kamrupa as well as gracious presence of divinity, the sculptor here at Madan-Kamdev found to be very much selective in choosing the dress code for their product. In doing this, the sculptor certainly have beared some inspiration from the actual work of a professional dress maker, or in other word, it can be said that there must be a group of professionals who were expert in cutting and sewing an artistically woven cloth and thus convert it into a fashionable item of that time to appease the taste of the people, specially of the high class personnels in the society. These tailors were expert in making different type of head-gear out of cloth for kings, queens, rich men and women in the society. 60 Second important sculptural reflection is about the existence of a group of professionals who had earned their. livelihood by making articles of every day's use probably of different metal like copper, tin, brass, bell, lead, iron, gold, silver etc. Regarding the proficient tradition of metal industries in Assam, Jean Baptist Travernier had stated that This kingdom is one of the 60. Agarwal, U. : Op-cit, 1995, p. 162.

240 61 best countries of Asia for it produces all that is necessary to the life of a man........ There are mines of gold, silver, steel, lead, iron and much silk. The metal workers in broader sense of term can be divided into three categories as accordingly to the metal that they use i.e. blacksmith (lohakara), coppersmith (tamakara) and goldsmith (hiranyakara). Among them, the blacksmiths were the most proficient professionals who produced not only house hold utensils and implements of agricultural need, but a small section of them were also employed in manufacturing war implements.62 It was from the 5 th century A.D., Assam entered into a phase of periodical expansion of its political power which necessitated the abundant supply of war head to its army. Highlighting the popular use of different type of iron instruments, mainly the war head, number of sculptural sequences are there to the narathara section of the main temple plinth where the sculptors in terms of explaining the life and activities of a specific community, blatently executed warring scenes with the use of different type of war head like sword, shield, knife, dagger etc. (Pt.IV, 1,2,3). Again, the majority number of ayudhas of the divine images are also hailed from the list of the war head. Thus, the whole matter of iron made war head can be summerised in the following words that the spirit behind these execution of weapon certainly have their root to the works of the blacksmith on the earth. The prosperous existence of this vocation in ancient Assam later constitute as a distinct guild (khel) known as Tiruwal during the Ahom rule. 61. 62. Cited by Chaliha, P. : Op-cit, 1998, p.16. Sarma, S.N. : A Socio-Economic and Cultural History of Medieval Assam, 1989, p. 312. 63. Chaliha, P. Op-cit, 1998, p.17.

241 Along with iron, bell is an another important metal which provide economic subsistence to a group of people through the period of the history of Assam. An alloy of copper and tin, the bell metal is popularly used in making different household utensils like dish (Kahi), cup (bati), water jug (lota-ghati) wash basin (chariya) etc. of an Assamese family. The people of Assam always considered those bell metal utensils as the pride of their family. The bell metal workers are popularly known as Kahar 64 or Kamsyakara. It is generally believe that in between 7 th to 9 th century A.D., the art of making bell utensils have entered in Pragjyotisha-Kamrupa and from that time onward, it slowly emerged as an inseparable item for the pride of an Assamese family. Highlighting the traditional popularity of bell metal utensils in Assam, there is an interesting reference in the Yogini Tantra which emphasized the use of bell metal cup (bati) while preparing alcohol for the Kshatriyas and the Vaishyas. Apart from making household utensils, the bell metal is also used in making ghana or aghati vadya like ghanta (bell), napur, talam etc. Referring to a great tradition of making musical instrument from bell metal in Assam, number of references are there in the Kalika Purana. 64. Sarma, S.N.: Op-cit, 1989, p. 311. 65. 66. 67. Chaliha, P.: Op-cit, 1998, p.6. Narikelodakm Kansne Kshatriysna Baranane !! Baisysna Makhikan Proktan Kansnastan Barbarnine || (Yogini Tantra 1/6/35) That means when the juice of coconut is kept in bell metal cup, the juice becomes the alcohol for Kshatriya and when honey is kept in bell metal cup it becomes the alcohol for Vaishya. Chaliha, P. Op-cit, 1998, p.46.

242 Regarding the profession of coppersmith in early Assamese literature, we have often come across the word tamrapatra in religious function. 68 As for example the Kalika Purana has stressed the need for the use of tamrapatra while offering naivadya to devi 69 Similarly, the Bargaon copper plate grant has made an important reference about the existence of a copper mine in Kamrupa (Kamalakara) 70 The inscribe plate made out of copper also highlighted the popularity as well as abundant availability of this metal in Kamrupa. Thus, it can be said that at least from the 7 th century A.D (ie the date of earliest available land grants inscribed on copper in Assam), the coppersmith emerged to be an important profession in Kamrupa. Now, regarding the sculptural evidences of all these professions, no such concrete reflections are there at MadanKamdeva to support their existence, except some indirect instances like three women in a procession carrying bell like object (fig. 12.6), man with a cup in his hand while taking alcohol (fig. 19.2), an woman (man?) poured water on Siva Linga from a Kalasa like object (fig.19.2) etc. There is another interesting, sculptural description in which an woman hold a mirror in one of her hand as if she prepared herself for any occasion 71 (fig. 14.4). These darpana in ancient time generally made out of copper (metallic. mirror) were the highest achievement of the coppersmith. 72 68. 69. 70. 71. 72. Sarma, S.N.: Op-cit, 1989, p. 312. Kalika Purana 70/49-50. Choudhury, P.C. : Op-cit, 1987, p. 346. The high sense of erosions have made it now quite difficult to confirmed the matter and under such situation, this proposition is only because of her sitting and hand posture. Agarwal, U. Op-cit, 1995, p.162.

243 Along with all these profession, the art of making ornament in gold and silver was an another important profession of a group of people in ancient Assam. A small section of those jewellers also engaged in making ornament out of precious stone or beads. Sculptures are always regarded as the best form of evidences while making an enquiry over the question of people's ornamentation. Different type of ornament affix to the bodies of the sculptures duly highlighted the proficiency of this industries in Kamrupa. As mention earlier, number of literary evidences are already there 73 the sculptures here simply strengthen the cause, of those literary references. 73. Gold was found almost in all rivers of Assam like Suvansiri, Dikhau, Dihong, Bharali, Dhansiri etc. and according to Tezpur grant even the river Lauhitya also brought gold dust from the gold bearing boulders of the Kailasa mountain (Choudhury, P.C. Op-cit, 1987, pp P 345-46) The Kalika Purana also mention about the existence of a gold bearing river in Assam - Suvarnasiri (Kalika Purana 80/17-18) Highlighting the prosperous existence of a jeweller community in ancient Assam there is a list of royal present from Bhaskara to Harsha in the Harshacharita of Banabhatta which includesone Abhoga Chatra (Umbrella) with golden ribs, Suramoni (Headgear), Shining necklace etc. Bargaon copper plate grant also refers about the existence of a jewellers market v. 14 The Kalika Purana also mention a list of ornament which seem to be popular in Assam at one time (Kalika Purana 69/17-23/33). Similarly the Purana also instructed that the head gear should be made of gold and silver ornament should never be use above the neck (Kalika Purana 69/26). These instruction seem to be followed by the people of Assam. All these are supporting evidences of the prosperous existence of a jeweller community in ancient Assam.