Cosmetics, Costumes and Ornaments in Ancient India

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

This page relates ‘Materials for Cosmetics (Introduction)’ 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.

1. Materials for Cosmetics (Introduction)

Sources of materials for cosmetics are mainly three—

  1. plants,
  2. animals and
  3. minerals.

Most of the ingredients for cosmetics are aromatic.

According to Gaṅgādhara[1], aromatic ingredients can be classified into eight groups:

  1. leaves,
  2. flowers,
  3. fruits,
  4. barks,
  5. woods,
  6. roots,
  7. exudations from plants and
  8. organic products.

Some of the aromatic ingredients recorded in Bṛhatsaṃhitā[2], Gandhavāda[3] and Gandhasāra[4] are–(1) Jāti, (2) Śatapuṣpa, (3) Priyaṅgu, (4) Guḍanakha, (5) Bālaka, (6) Lākṣā, (7) Māṃsī, (8) Harītakī, (9) Śaṅkhaghanadrava, (10) Karpūra, (11) Spṛkka, (12) Śaileya, (13) Hiṅgula, (14) Tāmbūla, (15) Pūgaphala, (16) Kuṅkuma, (17) Kastūrī, (18) Kuṣṭha, (19) Śalālū, (20) Madayantikā, (21) Lavaṅga, (22) Nāgakesara, (23) Śrīkhaṇḍa, (24) Tālīsapatra, (25) Macula, (26) Champak, (27) Teak, (28) Atimuktaka, (29) Kustumburu, (30) Kunduruka, (31) Nakha, (32) Guggulu, (33) Musta, (34) Candana, (35) Aguru, (36) Damanaka, (37) Tagara, (38) Cora, (39) Malaya, (40) Sarjarasa, (41) Lodhra, (42) Kesara, (43) Ela, (44) Marica, (45) Kakkola, (46) Lavalīphala, (47) Gorocana, (48) Bilva, (49) Nalada and (50) Kisara. Among these ingredients, Candana, Campaka, Madayantikā, Ambara, Kuṅkuma, Karpūra, Gorocana, Aguru, Kastūrī, Jāti, Lākṣā, Lodhra, Kakkola, Sarjarasa, Guggulu, Lavaṅga, Kuṣṭha and Kunduruka are most important.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

SIICH, p.6

[2]:

Ibid, p.76

[3]:

Ibid, p.61

[4]:

Ibid, p.61

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