1. Materials for Garments (d): Skin clothes from Animals

Skins were used for both clothes and seats. It was usually the dress of ascetics, hermits, students and of those who are in exile. But use of skins was prevalent among other people also. In Vālmīki-rāmāyaṇa^[1] we find Rākṣasas clothed in skin.

In Vedic age skins were in common among the Brāhmaṇas, while Vrātyas and tribal sects used skins occasionally. In Atharvaveda^[2], we find these tribals dancing as dressed in Kṛtti or Dūrśa. Unlike others Vrātyas^[3] wore two pieces of skin, which is indicated by the term Kṛṣṇavalkṣa in one context, meaning a black and white. Some mythological characters are also represented as clad in skins. The hymn of Vālakhilya^[4] referred to the king Praṣkaṇva, presenting dressed hides. Skins were presented as gifts since Vedic time. Skins for clothing were usually taken from animals like deer, goat and cow.

a) Deer Skin

Use of deer skin was prevalent since Ṛgvedic time. Ṛgveda^[5] mentions Maruts as dressed in deer skins. Deer skins were of different types. Some of them are Kṛṣṇājina (Antelope skin), Eṇājina, skin of Camūru, spotted deer, Ruru deer and Medhya. Of these some sort of sanctity was attached to Kṛṣṇājina and hence it was mostly used in religious ceremonies. During sacrifice, in addition to sacrificial dress, skin of antelope was worn over the upper garment. For a student or a celibate, Kṛṣṇājina was prescribed as upper garment. Giving antelope skin as gift was considered auspicious. Purāṇas often refer to gods and Pitṛs clothed in Kṛṣṇājina. In Vāmanapurāṇa^[6], Brahma, Viṣṇu and Śiva are depicted as wearing Kṛṣṇājina. There is even a chapter in Matsyapurāṇa^[7], which discusses this subject. Ladies also wore Kṛṣṇājina. This is evident in Vālmīki-rāmāyaṇa^[8], where Śabarī, a female ascetic is mentioned as wearing Kṛṣṇājināmbara. The Uttarīya of Pāṇḍavas leaving for forest was of Ajina^[9]. Dhṛtarāṣṭra setting out for forest also is represented in Mahābhārata as clothed in Valkala and Ajina^[10]. During Mṛgavrata, people wore Kṛṣṇājina. In Mahābhārata, Mādrī is seen in a context observing such a penance by wearing Kṛṣṇājina^[11].

Among the other types of deer skin, skin of Ruru deer and Medhya were employed for seats. Kālidāsa^[12] has mentioned such costly skins. In Śiśupālavadha^[13], Māgha refers to carpets prepared from Camūru skin. Use of Eṇājina is mentioned there.

b) Goat Skin

Vedas, Gṛhyasūtras and Brāhmaṇas attest the use of goat skin. Upper garments of students in that period were either of Kṛṣṇājina or that made of goat skin.

c) Cowhides

As per a story recorded in Śatapatha-brāhmaṇa^[14], at first men used cow skin as a covering for their body, later the skin was replaced with clothes by the gods. However cowhides were used occasionally. The upper garment of a sorcerer was usually of cowhide.

Besides the above mentioned types, elephant skins and tiger skins also were in vogue. But most of the references to these skins are associated with mythical characters. Śiva^[15] is often referred to in Purāṇas as dressed in elephant skin as well as tiger skin. In one context, Vīrabhadra, an attendant of Śiva is called by the name Mṛgendrakṛttivāsas, meaning clad in elephant hide^[16]. A Kañcuka made of elephant hide is described in Śiśupālavadha^[17]. Hunting dress was sometimes of tiger skin. In Kādambarī^[18], we have allusion to a hunter dressed in tiger skin.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

III.5.9

[2]:

VIII.6.11

[3]:

Pañcaviṃśa-brāhmaṇa, VIII.1-15; Kātyāyana-śrautasūtra, XII.1, XXII.4; Āpastamba-śrautasūtra, XXII.5.4.14

[4]:

Ṛgveda, VII.2.3

[5]:

Ibid, I.166.10

[6]:

97.192, 21.50, 25.80, 30.221, 25.34

[7]:

Karmavipāka

[8]:

India in the Age of Brāhmaṇās, p.80

[9]:

Mahābhārata, 4.104

[10]:

Ibid, Sabhāparva, 88.1

[11]:

Ibid, XII.264.7,V.11.7

[12]:

Raghuvaṃśa, III.31, XIV.81, IV.65, Kumārasambhava, VII.37

[13]:

I.8

[14]:

III.I.13-16

[15]:

Vāyupurāṇa, 97.192

[16]:

Ibid, 123.4

[17]:

I.4

[18]:

Kādambarī Eka Sāṃskārika Adhyayana (Kādambarī), p.117