12. Bark and Skin Garments

The dress of the Indians must have gone through certain stages of evolution before reaching its final shape. The vedic evidence shows that the dress consisted of leaves and grass. 18 In the next stage valkala or bark was used for clothing. It used to be utilized as a material for clothing because it was cheaper than wool and easily available. 19 The epic hero Rama with his consort Sita and brother Laksmana put on bark garments during his long exile. The other instances are of Gauri in the Kumarasambhava and Sakuntala in the Sakuntala. The Brahma Purana also refers to valkalas (221.117), 17 Majumdar G.P.; Op.Cit., P.207. 18 Cambridge History of India, I.101, Das A.C.: Rgvedic Culture, PP. 210-5. 19 Majumdar G.P.: Op.Cit., P. 194.

417 Phalakaparidhana and ciravasas (241.13,14), In the 'Bhavisyakathana' it is said that people would wear valkalas and skin-garments (230.75). The clothes made of the skin of antelope find mention ar among the list of things denoting the prospering of king Indradyumna (44.7). In the performance of the great sacrifice, various kings helped king Indradyumna by bringing many things among which the skin-garments are mentioned (47. 23). Lord Siva is described as wearing an upper garment made up of the skin of black antelope (krsnajinottariya) (40.37). One of the epithets of lord Siva is krttivasas (54.6), (41.73). Elsewhere the vyaghracarma, simhacarma and a cloth made from the skin of the animal Manivala (viz.an animal having beads on his tail) are mentioned (241.12). The daityas are described as wearing elephant hides and clothes made of the skin of black antelope (213.97). A Vanaprastha is advised to wear carma (222.41). The daityas are also said to wear Nilakavasas i.e.clothes made up of the bark of the fig-tree (213.98).