365bet娱乐

础惫补驳耻峁囜弓丑补苍补 is a piece of cloth worn over the head in such a way so as to cover the face completely or partially. In some cases, 础惫补驳耻峁囜弓丑补苍补 was long enough to cover the entire body. Sometimes the upper garment itself served the purpose of a veil. It was generally a costume of married women especially those belonging to aristocratic families as well as the royal inmates of a harem. It was an important item among the bride鈥檚 dress also. It was not considered as a daily ware. Since women had no freedom to move to the public places in those days, they usually wore veil outside the harem. From which period the practice of wearing veil started is not clear. However we have reference to 础惫补驳耻峁囜弓丑补苍补 in 笔耻谤腻峁嘺蝉, epics and in the later classical literature.

In 笔耻谤腻峁嘺蝉^[1], we come across upper garment itself serving as a veil.

In 痴腻濒尘墨办颈-谤腻尘腻测补峁嘺^[2], we read of the lamentation of 惭补峁囜笉辞诲补谤墨 on the death of 搁腻惫补峁嘺, where the poet makes a reference to her veil. Even though there is no mention of a separate 础惫补驳耻峁囜弓丑补苍补, 厂墨迟腻^[3] also is described in many places as covering her head with the end of her lower garment.

But unlike 痴腻濒尘墨办颈-谤腻尘腻测补峁嘺, we have only rare mentions to a veil in 惭补丑腻产丑腻谤补迟补. There we find 顿谤补耻辫补诲墨 covering her face with hair not in veil, when she sets out for exile^[4]. No reference is seen to Svayamvara, where princess wearing veil. Similarly Arjuna is said to be attracted by the beauty of 厂耻产丑补诲谤腻 as well as 颁颈迟谤腻峁単补诲腻^[5]. This shows that women other than royal families had the freedom to reveal their face before men. In another context, the daughters-in -law of 顿丑峁泃补谤腻峁�t谤补^[6] are seen being introduced to the sages without veil.

Use of veil by women is attested by P膩峁嚹玭i^[7], 碍补耻峁璱濒测补^[8], 碍腻濒颈诲腻蝉补^[9], 叠腻峁嘺^[10], 惭腻驳丑补^[11], 顿补峁囜笉颈^[12], 艢奴诲谤补办补^[13] and 贬补谤峁�a惫补谤诲丑补苍补^[14].

Even though use of 础惫补驳耻峁囜弓丑补苍补 was in vogue among women of social status, 叠腻峁嘺 in one place in 碍腻诲补尘产补谤墨^[15] has described a tribal girl called M膩ta峁単akany膩, going to the king鈥檚 court wearing a veil of red 础峁兣泆办补. Abhis膩rikas also were represented by 叠腻峁嘺 as wearing veil^[16]. Their veil was of blue colour. From 碍腻诲补尘产补谤墨 we learn that a bride usually wore a veil of red colour.

In 惭峁沜肠丑补办补峁璱办补^[17] there is a context, where a prostitute is described as attaining the status of a housewife by wearing a veil. From this it can be concluded that a veil symbolized chastity.

Footnotes and references:

[back to top]

[1]:

惭补迟蝉测补辫耻谤腻峁嘺, 11.4

[2]:

VI, III.62

[3]:

60.2, 3

[4]:

II.71.6

[5]:

216.14, 15, 207.15,16, 3.54.8

[6]:

Ibid, XV.32, 9-15

[7]:

ICCO, pp.83-86

[8]:

Ibid

[9]:

础产丑颈箩帽腻苍补艣腻办耻苍迟补濒补, pp.13, 19; 惭腻濒补惫颈办腻驳苍颈尘颈迟谤补, p.18

[10]:

碍腻诲补尘产补谤墨, pp.192, 259; 贬补谤峁�a肠补谤颈迟补, p.149

[11]:

艢颈艣耻辫腻濒补惫补诲丑补, I.25

[12]:

础惫补苍迟颈蝉耻苍诲补谤墨办补迟丑腻, pp.31, 36, 236

[13]:

惭峁沜肠丑补办补峁璱办补, IV.24; X.58

[14]:

N膩g膩nanda, Act.III

[15]:

pp.192, 259

[16]:

碍腻诲补尘产补谤墨, pp.21, 192, 259

[17]:

IV.24