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Cosmetics, Costumes and Ornaments in Ancient India

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

This page relates ‘Various other Ear Ornaments� 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.

2.2. Various other Ear Ornaments

In addition to ṇḍ, a number of other words are also used to indicate ear ornaments. They are�(1) Karṇaśobhana, (2) Pravarta, (3) Pravartya, (4) Prāvepa, (5) ʰś, (6) Sucakra, (7) Hiraṇyakarṇas, (8) Karṇaveṣṭana, (9) ṇi, (10) ʲٰ첹ṇi, (11) Ѳṇi첹ṇi, (12) Ratnakarṇikā, (13) Dantapatra, (14) Tālīpatra, (15) Tālajapatra, (16) Tālipaṭṭa, (17) 貹ٰ, (18) ṇaū, (19) Maṇikarṇapūra, (20) Ratnakarṇapūra, (21) ٲṃs, (22) ṭaṅk, (23) հ첹ṇṭ첹, (24) Mocaka, (25) ī, (26) Karṇamudra, (27) Karṇāṅguli, (28) ѳܰ󲹱, (29) Patraveṣṭa, (30) ṇoٰī첹, (31) Ś󾱱貹ٰ, (32) ṇoٱ貹, (33) Karṇakuvalaya, (34) Kanakanāḍ�, (35) Muktātāṭaka, (36) Vajragarbha, (37) Ś岹ṃṣṭr, (38) Karṇottaṃsa, (39) ṇaūṣaṇa, (40) Pūrṇamadhya, (41) ٲṇḍ첹, (42) Cūḍībhūṣaṇa, (43) Mukula, (44) ѲṇḍԲ, (45) Cakra, (46) Citraśravaṇābharaṇa, (47) Pavitri, (48) Campakakalikā, (49) ṇaⲹ, (50) Trikarṇa, (51) Śṇīsūٰ and (52) Karṇacūlikā.

Of these, the first seven are mentioned in Vedic texts[1]. Since the term Pravarta has its origin in the root Vṛt which means encircle, it is supposed to be in the shape of a ring. From the term Hiraṇyakarṇas it is believed that it was made of gold. Similarly Sucakra is perhaps wheel shaped. Karṇaveṣṭana is an ear-top that covers the entire lob of the ear. ṇi is supposed to be an ornament resembling the middle portion of a flower, for the term ṇi stands for the central part of a flower. It is said to be worn on the top portion of the ear. Ծܰṇa and ṭyśٰ prescribe it for ladies[2]. ṇiԾ also referred to it[3]. Sometimes it was bejewelled. ṇa and ٲṇḍ give information about ʲٰ첹ṇi, Makarakarṇikā and Ratnakarṇikā[4]. ʲٰ첹ṇi is for ladies. Dantapatra is an ear-leaf fashioned from ivory. Usually it is an upper ear ornament and is crescent shaped with edges, looking like teeth of a saw. Plain as well as bejewelled types are seen. From the word Avasātakadantapatra it can be inferred that this ornament is clipped on to the ear. In Śśܱ[5] it is referred to as Dantapatrikā. Dhavaladantapatra is a common expression: Tālīpatra is designed like a palm leaf. Tālajapatra, Tālipaṭṭa and 貹ٰ are some of its variants. A Tālīpatra made of gold is indicated by the terms Kanakapatra or Hematālīpatra. Kanakapatra was an ear ornament for ladies. From the term ṇaū it can be inferred that it is an ornament that covers the entire ear. Usually it is modeled after lotus flower. Bejewelled variety was also in use. Ѳṇi첹ṇi and Ratnakarṇikā are often mentioned by ṇa[6]. In the context of Pradoṣavarṇana in 岹ī, a ṇaū raktotpala is mentioned, which perhaps indicates a lotus shaped ṇaū with settings of ruby on it[7]. Similarly a ṇaū, inlaid with sapphire, resembling a blue lotus is mentioned by [8]. Bharata refers to this ornament worn by ladies[9]. makes plenty of references to ṇaū[10]. ٲṃs is made of sprouts. Sprouts of ղ, mango and Ketaka were used as ٲṃs. It was even a bridal ornament. In Ჹṣaٲ, Rājyaśrī is described as wearing an ٲṃs on the occasion of her marriage[11]. ṭaṅk is an ear drop dangling upto the cheek, used by both the sexes. հ첹ṇṭ첹 is mentioned by ṇa in many places[12]. From his description it is evident that it was an ornament used equally by men and women and is set with emerald between two pearls. ٲī, a young man and ṇḍ, a maternal cousin of Ჹṣa and the royal ladies celebrating the birth of Ჹṣa are described as wearing հ첹ṇṭ첹. Mocaka and ī[13] are meant for men and are worn in the middle and top portion of the ear respectively. Karṇamudra and Karṇāṅguli as their name indicates may have perhaps been ring shaped. ѳܰ󲹱patraveṣṭa is an ear leaf made of pearls. ṇoٰī첹 is an ear top. Ś󾱱貹ٰ is formed by setting gems of various colours, so as to make a look of peacock feather. ṇoٱ貹 and Karṇakuvalaya are imitations of lotus. Kanakanāḍ� is a tube shaped ornament fashioned in gold. Vajragarbha is formed by embedding a diamond in the centre. Śvadaṃṣṭra is referred to by Vātmīki[14]. Perhaps it might have been in the shape of a dog’s teeth. ٲṇḍ첹 is a circular ornament. Pavitri is sanctified by the recitation of Vedic hymns. It is described in Ჹṣaٲ that during the funeral of his father, ⲹ󲹲Բ replaced his sapphire studded ear ring by a Pavitri[15]. Trikarṇa is mentioned in ī쾱-峾ⲹṇa. Perhaps it comprised of three rings.

More than one ornament could be worn in the same ear. 岹ī is said to be wearing Tālīpatra, ṇḍ and ṇoٱ貹[16]. Sometimes, ear ornaments were worn only on one ear. For instance the Mātaṅgakanyā, who arrives at the court of Śū첹 wears a Dantapatra only on one ear[17]. Another interesting feature was that different sorts of ear ornaments could be worn on each ear. Thus ṇḍ is described by ṇa as wearing different sorts of ornaments in each ear[18]. In Ჹṣaٲ, ṇa describes ī as wearing four ear ornaments. In both the ears, she wore a pair of ṇḍ. Besides this, she wore in her right ear a green ٲī bud and in the left ear she wore a Dantapatra of bluish shade[19].

Footnotes and references:

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[1]:

Atharvaveda, 15.2.5; Śٲ貹ٳ-󳾲ṇa, 3.5, 16, 5.4.5, 22; ṻ岹, 1.122.14,10.85.20, ղٳپīⲹ-ṃh, 1.8.2.3; Maitrāyaṇīyaṃh, 4.48

[2]:

Ծܰṇa, 112-116; ṭyśٰ, XXI.16-20

[3]:

ṣṭī, IV.3.65

[4]:

SCTD, p.267

[5]:

I.60

[6]:

岹ī, Śū첹varṇana

[7]:

Ibid

[8]:

Śśܱ, IV.8

[9]:

ṭyśٰ, 16-20

[10]:

鲹ܱṃśa, VII.27; ܳ󲹱,VIII.62; Ṛtܲṃh, II.25

[11]:

p.73

[12]:

Ჹṣaٲ, p.22

[13]:

Ჹṣaٲ, IVth

[14]:

5.15.42

[15]:

NTAIS

[16]:

NTAIS, p.85

[17]:

Ibid

[18]:

Ibid

[19]:

Ჹṣaٲ, p.32

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