Cosmetics, Costumes and Ornaments in Ancient India

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

This page relates ‘Dress Making: Printing and Painting’ 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.

3.3. Dress Making: Printing and Painting

Clothes were decorated with printed or painted designs. Citradukūla, Citrāṃśukam etc. are some common expressions. Probably it is in Āpastamba-śrautasūtra[1] that we first meet with the printed cloth. The term Citranta indicates the art of sketching figures in cloth. Patterns of leaves, flowers or birds were usually painted or printed. We often meet with the silk clothes decorated with swan figures. Since Cakravāka was considered as a good omen, clothes were decorated with such patterns also. Mānasollāsa[2] alludes to clothes having designs of circles, checks, lines and dots.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

RHAI, p.32

[2]:

Vol. II.vv.1021-1026

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