1. Materials for Garments (a): Fibers made out of Barks

Cosmetics, Costumes and Ornaments in Ancient India

by Remadevi. O. | 2009 | 54,177 words

This page relates 鈥楳aterials for Garments (a): Fibers made out of Barks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.

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1. Materials for Garments (a): Fibers made out of Barks

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Barks were used in two ways. In the first method, barks taken from certain trees or plants were directly used as clothing, while as per the second way, fibers made out of barks were employed in making dress materials. Directly worn barks were usually termed as 颁墨谤补, 颁墨惫补谤补 or Valkala. Even though its use was in vogue in a period prior to the date of Samhitas and 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺蝉, the earliest reference to barks used as clothing is perhaps in 罢补颈迟迟颈谤墨测补-蝉补峁僪颈迟腻^[1] and 罢补颈迟迟颈谤墨测补-产谤腻丑尘补峁嘺^[2]. It was usually worn by hermits, sages, ascetics and by those practicing penance and also by those setting out for exile. Bark garments were not stitched and hence they were tied in knots in certain places. We get plenty of references to the above mentioned types of people wearing barks.

笔耻谤腻峁嘺蝉^[3] give references to 笔腻谤惫补迟墨 observing penance dressed in bark. In 痴腻测耻辫耻谤腻峁嘺 (痴腻尘补苍补辫耻谤腻峁嘺)^[4], we have references even to Asuras, engaged in penance wearing barks. In one place, 艢颈惫补 is addressed by the terms like 颁墨谤补v膩sas, Valkal膩jinadhara, Hira峁噛ac墨ra etc. It is foretold in 笔耻谤腻峁嘺蝉 that people at the end of Kali age will happen to wear bark garments as a result of the disruption of the society.

In 痴腻濒尘墨办颈-谤腻尘腻测补峁嘺, 搁腻尘补 and 尝补办峁补峁嘺 living in 顿补峁囜笉补办补 forest as ascetics are described thus -

[...].^[5]

碍腻濒颈诲腻蝉补^[6] has introduced 艢补办耻苍迟补濒腻 and other hermits as clad in barks. In 碍耻尘腻谤补蝉补尘产丑补惫补^[7], 笔腻谤惫补迟墨 observing penance also is depicted as clothed in bark. 笔腻峁噄苍颈^[8], 叠丑腻蝉补^[9], 碍补耻峁璱濒测补^[10], 痴补谤腻丑补尘颈丑颈谤补^[11], 叠腻峁嘺^[12] etc. also allude to the use of barks. It is interesting that 叠腻峁嘺^[13] has described 厂腻惫颈迟谤墨 as wearing a white bark, which gives hint to the preparation of bark from different varieties of trees.

Fibers taken from the barks of plants and trees like K峁ma [碍峁耻尘补?], A峁璦艣墨 (Flax), 艢补峁嘺 (Hemp), N膩gav峁沰峁, Lakuca Vakula and 痴补峁璦 were usually employed in making fibre made dress materials. 笔腻峁噄苍颈^[14] gives the name Aumaka to fibre made clothes in general. Among the fibre made clothes, the most famous were鈥�

a) 碍峁耻尘补

碍峁耻尘补 is made out of the yarn of K峁ma (Linseed) plant. Some sort of sanctity was attached to this costly cloth and hence they were worn in ceremonial occasions especially by royals.

In Vedic literature, the word 碍峁耻尘补 is seen in the sense of a silk cloth. But later on, the word is exclusively used for linen cloth. According to 础尘补谤补办辞艣补^[15], 碍峁耻尘补 is the synonym of 顿耻办奴濒补.

In 痴腻濒尘墨办颈-谤腻尘腻测补峁嘺^[16], 搁腻尘补 is described as worshipping the gods, attired in 碍峁耻尘补, on the day of his coronation. Similarly, while receiving their daughters-in-law, the queens of Ayodhya wore 碍峁耻尘补 clothes. The dress of 搁腻惫补峁嘺 attending the court is described as 碍峁耻尘补. In another context, the coffin sheet of 顿补艣补谤补迟丑补 is mentioned as 碍峁耻尘补. 碍腻濒颈诲腻蝉补^[17] has referred to 艢补办耻苍迟补濒腻 as clothed in Indup膩峁囜笉uk峁uma, while leaving the hermitage.

b) 顿耻办奴濒补

顿耻办奴濒补 is a thin and soft silk cloth, made of fibres taken from the inner bark of the 顿耻办奴濒补 plant. 顿耻办奴濒补 was used for both upper and lower garments. The expression 顿耻办奴濒补yugma was common.

础尘补谤补办辞艣补^[18] has referred to 顿耻办奴濒补 as a synonym of 碍峁耻尘补, while in 惭补丑腻产丑腻谤补迟补^[19] the words 顿耻办奴濒补 and 碍峁耻尘补 are used in different sense. We read of 顿耻办奴濒补 of various colours and that embroidered with various patterns. In 惭补迟蝉测补辫耻谤腻峁嘺^[20], the poison 碍腻濒补办奴峁璦 appearing in the form of a person is depicted as dressed in yellow 顿耻办奴濒补. 叠腻峁嘺^[21] has mentioned 顿耻办奴濒补 of pale, white and saffron red colours. In 碍腻诲补尘产补谤墨^[22], 顿耻办奴濒补 decorated with flower designs is described. In one context in 贬补谤峁肠补谤颈迟补^[23], 贬补谤峁 who set out for Digvijaya is represented as attired in 顿耻办奴濒补 embroidered with swan patterns. 叠腻峁嘺^[24] has mentioned the term 顿耻办奴濒补valkala in one place. From this it is evident that 顿耻办奴濒补 is a texture made with bark fibres. 碍腻濒颈诲腻蝉补^[25] alludes to the use of 顿耻办奴濒补 in summer. From this it is clear that 顿耻办奴濒补 is a thin and cool silk cloth suitable to resist sun heat.

c) Netra

As per the description given by our writers, Netra is a thin and soft silk cloth. But from which tree the fibers were taken for the preparation of Netra is not known. 础尘补谤补办辞艣补^[26] mentions Netra as a synonym of 础峁兣泆办补.

We have very few references to Netra. Perhaps it is in 惭补迟蝉测补辫耻谤腻峁嘺^[27] that we have the earliest reference to it. There a Hemanetrapa峁璦 is mentioned, which may be a Netra with golden embroidery. 碍腻濒颈诲腻蝉补^[28] has talked about Netra in one place. But 叠腻峁嘺^[29] alludes to it in many places. He has described 惭腻濒补迟墨 and 贬补谤峁 clad in Netra. In one context, 叠腻峁嘺 has compared the thinness of Netra to a snake鈥檚 slough. In another context, a soft and thin Netra is compared to the stalk of a tender plantain tree. He alludes to embroidered Netra also. In one place 叠腻峁嘺 describes a Netra cloth embellished with designs of flowers and leaves. From 顿补峁囜笉颈^[30], we learn that this variety of silk was produced largely in 骋补耻岣峚 country.