6. Dress and Decoration

The style or fashion of dresses and decorations is an indicator of the standard of living of the people living in a particular society of a particular time. The primitive people had to live in cave, in the hollow of tree and had to wear the bark of tree, skin of animals. In these primitive time people had to depend on nature for food, shelter and dress. Discovery of agriculture indicating the dawn of human civilization tremendously changed the living condition, food habit and dress of people. It further bears the mark of a culture generated over the years in a society. The primitive age, the Vedic age and age of Rāmāyaṇa witnessed the change in the food habit, dress and decoration. In the Hanumannāṭaka, such information about the dress habit and decoration of the people are available. However, in some contexts the dramatist mentions some dress items of the various kinds of clothes worn by the people.

Uttarīya is mentioned many times in the play. The word Uttarīya stands for the upper garment put on from left to right on the shoulder. In the verse dyūte paṇaḥ … uttariyam^[1] of the Hanumannāṭaka this type of garment is mentioned. Uttarīya is a kind of shawl. Sītā used this shawl or stole in her first exile. It’s colour is purely white. From this context it can be known that white coloured garments were preferred in a condition like that of an exile. This garment was worn by people irrespective of men and women as can be evidenced from other literary sources.

Mekhalā^[2] is another important decorating item meant for the waist, found, mentioned in the Hanumannāṭaka. According to Nāṭyaśastra^[3] Mekhalā is also used by women on their waist. In the Amarakoṣa the word Mekhalā indicates a belt to keep the sword.^[4] It is observed in the writings of Kālidāsa^[5] that Mekhalā is an ornament worn on waist by women.

Kāñcī^[6] is an ornament for the waist mentioned in the Hanumannāṭaka According to Amarkoṣa^[7], Kāñcī is an ornament used by women on their waist. In the Nītiśāstra^[8], it is found that Kāñcī is an ornament for the waist used by women and it should consist of single or one string. The use of this ornament is found in the writings of Kālidāsa^[9] also.

The phrase ‘Kesaradāma kāñcī’^[10] which is found in the Kumārasambhava of Kālidāsa, suggests that Kāñcī is a chain or belt. In the Gītagovinda^[11], the use of the ornament is also noticed.

Muktā (Pearl) is another ornament used in that time as mentioned in the Hanumannāṭaka.^[12] This kind of ornament is used for decorating head, face, neck, hand, and feet also. The valaya^[13] or kaṅkana (bangle) is also another ornament mentioned in the Hanumannāṭaka. According to Amarakoṣa^[14] this ornament is worn on the hands. Nūpura^[15] is an ornament to mean anklets. According to Amarakoṣa^[16], there are four different names of anklets. The use of this ornament is available in the era of Kālidāsa^[17], Hāra^[18] (necklace) is an ornament mentioned in the Hanumannāṭaka. It is worn round the neck.

The word Mandāramālā means a garland of the flower Mandāra. It is mentioned in the Hanumannāṭaka^[19] It is a very popular item of decoration and it is worn round the neck. According to Nāṭyśāstra^[20] garland is a bodily ornament. In the Amarakoṣa,^[21] there are found three different names of garland.

On the other hand the word Kajjala^[22] denotes collyrium used by women for colouring eyelashes or eyelids.

The word “Kasturītilaka”^[23] found in the Hanumannāṭaka is used to mean the mark of Kasturī on forehead. According to the Nāṭyśāstra^[24], tilaka is used as an embellishment of the forehead. The use of Sandal tilaka is found in the Gītagovinda.^[25]

Moreover the word ‘ābhūṣaṇa’ is indication of the fact that people have inclination towards fashionable items. In the Hanumannāṭaka also, the author mentions the word ābhūṣaṇa.^[26] Kuṇḍala means an ear-ring. People of that time also used this type of ornament.^[27] The author also mentions the ‘Karamudrā’.^[28] Karamudrā means ring. The use of the word Valkala^[29] suggests that Valkala was also in use as garments for some special persons.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

dyūte paṇaḥ praṇayakeliṣu kaṇṭhapāśaḥ krīḍāpariśramaharaṃ vyajanaṃ ratānte/
śayyā niśīthasamaye janakātmajāyāḥ prāptaṃ mathā vidhivaśādidamuttarīyam// Hanumannāṭaka, V.1

[2]:

cūḍācumbitakaṅkapatramabhitastūṇīdvayaṃ pṛṣṭhato bhasmasnigdhapavitralāṅchitamurā dhatte tvacaṃ rauravīram/
mauñjyā mekhalayā niyantritamadhovāsaśca māñjiṣṭhakaṃ pāṇou kārmukasākṣasūtravalayaṃ daṇḍo’paraḥ paippalaḥ// ibid., I.29

[3]:

kañcī mauktikajālādhya kulakaṃ mekhalaṃ tathā, Nāṭyśāstra, XXIII,36

[4]:

syānmekhatā tannibandhanaṃ Amarakoṣa, II. Kṣatriyavarga

[5]:

(a) asamāpya vilāsa mekhalā Rgh. VIII.64
(b) amuṃ sahāsaprahitekṣaṇāni vyājārdhasandarśitamekhalāni Ibid.,XIII.42

[6]:

re vṛkṣāḥ! parvatasthā girigahanlatā vāyunā vījyamānā rāmo’haṃ vyākulātmā daśarathatanayaḥ śokaśukreṇa dagdhaḥ /
bimboṣṭhī cārunetrī suvipulajaghanā baddhanāgendrakāñcī hā! sītā kena nītā mama hṛdayagatā kena vā kutra dṛstā // Hanumannāṭaka,. V.VN-10

[7]:

strīkāṭyāṃmekhalā kāñcī-Amarakoṣa, II, Manusya Varga

[8]:

kāñci mauktikajālādhya kulakam mekhalaṃ tatha/
raśanā ca kalapaśca bhavecchroṇivibhūṣaṇaṃ eka yaṣṭirbhavet kāñcī—NāṭyśāstraXXIII, 36-37

[9]:

(i) vīcikṣobhastanitavihagaśreṇikāñcīgunayaḥ
(ii) Rtu.II.20; III.36; iv.4,6,7
(iii) Rgh. VI.43

[10]:

srastāṃ ṅitambādavalambamānā punaḥ punaḥ kesaradāmakāñcīṃ/
nyāsīkṛtaṃ ṣṭhānavidā smareṅa maurvim dvitiyāmiva kārmukasya// Kumārasambhava, III.V.55

[11]:

… kāñcīdāmadarstatham calamiti … Gītagovinda, XII.4

[12]:

sarveṣu satsvapi tavābharaṇeṣu hāro nāropito hṛdi ciraṃ hṛdayaṅkato’pi/
muktārthasūtraguṇavedhavisuddharāśi statpaṅktibhedaphaladārunamityarodīt// Hanumannāṭaka, V.37

[13]:

cūḍācumbitakaṅkapatramabhitastūnidvayaṃ pṛṣṭhato bhasmasnighapavitralāṅchitamurā datte tvacaṃ rauravīram/
mauñjyā mekhalayā niyantritamadhovāsaśca māñjisthakaṃ pāṇau kārmukasākṣasūtravalayaṃ daṇḍo’paraḥ paippalaḥ// ibid.,I.29

[14]:

kaṅkaṇaṃ karabhuṣanaṃ -AmarakoṣaII. Manusya varga

[15]:

kuṇḍale naiva jānāmi nauva jānāmi kaṅkaṇe/
nūpurāveva jānāmi nityaṃ pādābhivandanāt// Hanumannāṭaka, V.36

[16]:

pādāṅgadaṃ tulākoṭirmangirau nūpuroastriyāṃ—Amarakoṣa II. Manusyavarga

[17]:

saisā sthali yatra vicinvatā tvaṃ bhraṣṭaṃ mayā nūpuromekamurvyaṃ Rgh.XIII.23

[18]:

sarveṣu satsvapi tavābharaṇeṣu hāro nāropito hṛdi ciraṃ hṛdayaṅgato’pi/
muktārthasūtraguṇavedhavisuddharāśi statpaṅktibhedaphaladārunamityarodit// Hanumannāṭaka, V. 37

[19]:

vandāruvṛṅdārakavṛndavandimaṅdāramālāmakarandaleśaiḥ/
mandodarīyaṃ caraṇāravindareṇūtkarān karkaratāmanaiṣīt// Hanumannāṭaka, IX.4

[20]:

vyālambimauktikahārā mālyādyā dehabhūṣaṇaṃ Nāṭyśāstra,XXIII.20

[21]:

mālyaṃ mālā srajau mūrdhm keśamadhye tu garbhakaḥ Amarakoṣa II. Manusyavarga

[22]:

kūrmaḥ pādo’ṅgayaṣṭirbhujagapatirasou bhājanaṃ bhutadhatrī
tailāpūrāḥ samudrāḥ kanakagirirayaṃ vṛttavartiprarohaḥ
arciścaṇḍāśurocirgaganamalinima kajjalaṃ dahyamāna
śatruśreṇīpataṅgā jvalati raghupate! tvatpratāpapradīpaḥ Bālarāmāyaṇa , VIII, p. 289

[23]:

rāmarāma! mahāvīra! ke vayaṃ guṇavarṇane?
yatkīrtikāminībhāle kasturitilakaṃ nabhaḥ// Hanumannāṭaka, XIV. 80

[24]:

tilaka patrarekhā ca bhavedgaṇḍa vibhūṣaṇaṃ/ Nāṭyśāstra, XXIII.27

[25]:

candanatilakalalātaṃ… Gītagovinda, II. 5

[26]:

ahaha!janakaputrīvaktramudrāmapaśyan vrajati paramahaṃso nākṣamo vā’pi gantum/
taduruvirahavahnijvālayā dagdhadehaḥ kimuta pavanasūnorbhuṣanaiḥ stambhito me // Hanumannāṭaka, V.38

[27]:

kuṇḍale naiva jānāmi naiva jānāmi kaṅkaṇe/
nūpurāveva jānāmi nityaṃ pādābhivandanāt// Hanumannāṭaka, V.36

[28]:

rāmaḥ—(satvaraṃ karamudrāṃ samuddhṛtya) vīra mārute ibid.,VI, p.84

[29]:

…jatāvalkalacchatra -cāmaradhāriṇau … ibid.,III., p.38