Cosmetics, Costumes and Ornaments in Ancient India

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

This page relates ‘Materials for Garments (b): Cotton cloth from Fruit fibers’ 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 Garments (b): Cotton cloth from Fruit fibers

Cotton was the main source for fruit fibers. Cotton clothes were prevalent in India at an early period itself. Perhaps it is in Āśvalāyaṃśrautasūtra and Lāṭyāyana-śrautasūtra[1] that we meet with the earliest references to cotton clothes. We have indications not only to wild cotton, but we read of cotton cultivation also. Even though it has several other synonyms, cotton clothes were generally known by the name Kārpāsa. Amarakośa[2] gives Kārpāsaphala and Bādara as synonyms of cotton. Perhaps it is in the epics that we come across the term Kārpāsa for the first time. In Sabhāparva of Mahābhārata[3], a country named Kārpāsika is mentioned, which perhaps indicates the cultivation of cotton in abundance in that country. Earlier in Upaniṣads[4], we find the word Tūlam in the sense of cotton. During the period of Brāhmaṇas, cotton was indicated by the term Sūtra. Pāṇini[5] has used both the terms Kārpāsa as well as Tūlam characterized for cotton.

Thick and thin varieties of cotton were in vogue. Of these, thick type was useful in making tents, while thin variety was used for making garments. Cotton clothes were given as gift, especially on Śrāddha. Cotton mixed woolen or silk clothes also were in fashion.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

23.4.17, 9.2.14

[2]:

2.6.111

[3]:

Sabhāparva, 41.10

[4]:

EI, p.234

[5]:

Aṣṭādhyāyī,4.3.143,136,142, 3.1.125, 3.3.64

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