Cosmetics, Costumes and Ornaments in Ancient India
by Remadevi. O. | 2009 | 54,177 words
This page relates ‘Seasonal Clothing� 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.
2.19. Seasonal Clothing
People wore garments made of different materials as well as of different colours in different seasons. It is stated in śܳٲ-ṃh[1] that in Ұīṣm (Hot season), light clothes perfumed with sandal paste should be worn, while during ղṣa (Rains), warm clothes are suited. For Ś (Autumn), he recommends clean as well as thin clothes. ṇiԾ[2] in one context has referred to the term Varṣābhyavṛk in the sense of a cloth worn on rainy season. He gives reference to a particular cloth worn during autumn also. In Ṛtܲṃh[3] gives an account of textures used by ladies during each season. Thus in summer, it is described that ladies preferred thin clothes. mentions such types, which were so thin enough to be blown away even by breath. Ladies wearing ī of white silk in summer are also described there. There were even garments with the settings of gems in order to alleviate the summer heat, while in winter, they opted wool as well as silk. Spring garments were dyed with lac juice and perfumed with 岵ܰ (Aquilegia agalloca).
ԲDZ[4] and ṭṭīٲ[5] inform us the winter clothes, where dzś speaks of ṅg, a special type of woollen coat designed for winter season, while in ṭṭīٲ, cotton clothes are mentioned as worn in winter. In ԲDZ it is stated that in summer people used white clothes. For rainy season, they selected red or its different shades, while in autumn the clothes were dyed in lac.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
Chapter 64
[3]:
I.7, IV.3, II.25,VI.13,V.2
[4]:
Vol. II.v.1224