Dressing style of Upper-class men

[Full title: Dressing style of Men: Upper-class]

The dress of upper-class in the sculptures of this period can be found represented in the costume that draped the various gods, celestials and a few secular figures, which can be logically identified as persons of royal and noble class. The various gods and celestials are included in this class as it is well known from inscriptional evidences that the kings often compared themselves with the gods and a few images of gods can also be identified as dual representation of both the god and the ruling king. The earliest such representation in Pallava art could be identified in the life size sculptural panel of Gangadhara (fig. 95), carved opposite to the shrine-cell in the mukha-mandapa of Lalitankura-pallavesvara-griha at Tiruchirappalli of the time of Mahendravarman I. Various scholars on the basis of inscriptions as well as iconography have identified this image as a combination of Siva and the patron king Mahendravarman I. Here Siva as Gangadhara is shown wearing a lower garment of the kachchha type, completely covering from hip to ankle. The various folds are clearly shown over the garment with the central pleats neatly folded and tucked into the hip. It is supported by means of a kati-bandha, knotted in the middle. A looped cloth is seen below the kati-bandha, which could be identified as the uttariya. The uttariya at the hip is not tied and Siva is seen holding its loose end in his right hand, which is placed in kati. The two kneeling figures on either side of Siva also wear their antariya in the same fashion as can be seen by the folds on the garment and also the pleats hanging in between their legs. They also wear a kati-bandha and uttariya. However the two flying Vidhyadharas seem to be wearing ardoruka type of antariya as it reached only up to their thigh portion.

In the Orukal-mandapam at Tirukkalukkunram, the dress adorning the images of Brahma (fig. 96) and Vishnu carved in the niches on either side of the shrine-cell, can be compared with the dress of the dvarapalakas and the celestials. Such comparison gives an understanding into the differential portrayal of dress belonging to different classes in contemporary life between a person belonging to upper-class class and his servants like door-keeper or personal attendants, etc. Here both Brahma and Vishnu wear an antariya reaching to the ankles. The interesting part is the fan like pleat hanging between their legs, which clearly indicating the kachchha style of wearing the garment. The two celestial figures carved on the either side walls of the mukha-mandapa facing each other appear more like royal figures by their stature and ornamentation. However, the lower garment is treated in diaphanous manner, with the usual kati-bandha and uttariya at the hips.

The theme of Bhu-varaha forms a favorite among both the Pallavas and their political rivals, the Chalukyas of Badami, as it gives the message of rejuvenation of power, prosperity and happiness. The kings visualized themselves in the role of Vishnu in His Varaha avatar rescuing the earth, which is personified as Bhu-devi. The portrayal of this theme facilitated the king to identify themselves with their divine counterparts with the role of protection and preservation of the denizens of the world. On the north wall of the mukha-mandapa in the Varaha cave temple at Mamallapuram, Vishnu in His Varaha form was portrayed as dressed in diaphanous style (fig. 59) with only a little fold on the thigh region of his right leg indicative of dress. The kati-vastra, shown as series of four bands and the fan-shaped tip of the pleat projecting from His hip indicate that, here also the antariya was tied in the kachchha method. Perhaps, such a diaphanous depiction was adopted here to match the theme and suggests that the garment was wet as Vishnu was just then emerging out of the oceans after annihilating Hiranyaksha and rescued the earth. It is interesting to see that on the opposite wall showing Vishnu in His Trivikrama (fig. 60) aspect where in the sculptor has shown the garment clearly by carving out its outline and folds. Thus, the portrayal aptly matches with the vigorous movement of the Trivikrama associated with this theme.

Vishnu as Seshasayi in the Mahishasuramardini cave temple at Mamallapuram (fig. 55), again projects to the onlooker the idea of a king as protector of the earth. Here, Vishnu is seen as usually wearing a lower garment in the kachchha style with its folds clearly visible. He further wears a kati-bandha tightly around His hip with a loosely tied uttariya.

The Trimurti cave temple at Mamallapuram shows that except Vishnu (fig. 56), the other two gods viz., Siva and Brahmasasta are treated with diaphanous clothing, with the lower garment indicated by only the kati-bandha and the uttariya. Vishnu is seen with the usual kachchha style of lower garment, with the folds clearly visible in between His legs. Of interest is the differential treatment of kati-bandha among the three gods and its ornamentation^[1].

The portrait panels (fig. 13) in the Adivaraha cave temple at the same place, consisting of images of kings along with their queens, identified variously by the scholars^[2] and the portrait sculpture of Narasimhavarman I^[3], carved in the south-western corner niche of the Dharmara-ratha at Mamallapuram, gives a direct insight into the costume of the royal class. The panel on the left side of the mukha-mandapa in the Adivaraha cave temple depicts, a king seated on a throne, wearing a antariya of purvoruka type tied in the kachchha style as can be seen by its edge near the ankle and in front of the throne. The second panel on the opposite wall, depicts the king standing and also wears similar style of antariya with the folds clearly visible in front and also the fan-shaped pleat of the dhoti, tucked into the hip at the back. It is interesting to note here that the dhoti which the king wears does not reach up to his ankles. This may indicate that the king had folded it up, as it was customary to do so, while entering into the sanctum sanctorum of a temple.

The Govardhanadhari panel at Mamallapuram depicts Krishna and Balarama, the two sons of Nanda–the chief of Gokula, dressed in diaphanous manner with only the kati-bandha visible. Perhaps, here such a depiction was intended to match the context, that it was raining heavily and the garments clinged to their body. This explanation can be supported by the fact that, similar diaphanous treatment of the lower garment is meted out to other sculptures carved in this panel as well. In the depiction of this panel also the artist or patron tried to give a political message to the onlooker. Here Krishna and Balarama (fig. 97) are depicted as royal persons engaged in the protection of the citizens and their wealth.

The Kailasanatha temple at Kanchipuram, which is a repository of sculptures, contains several such carvings, which could be identified as portrait images of the patron king Rajasimha and his chief queen Rangapataka. Along with the several images of Somaskandamurti can be seen, depiction of two handed male and female figure seated in the same style as Somaskandamurti, but without the child and flanked not by the usual deities viz.,Vishnu and Brahma, but by a pair of chamara-dharis. They can be regarded as portrait images of the patron king and his queen. In all these sculptures, the king and the queen can be seen draped in an antariya, similar to that of the Somaskandamurti. The antariya is indicated only by the kati-bandha and uttariya. Perhaps, the treatment of the antariya is diaphanous with few folds visible. As most of the sculptures are either worn-out or heavily plastered nothing more of the dress can be made out. A few traces of painting reveal that the clothing is colored and contain some floral designs, indicating the prevalence of dyed cloths (fig. 98).

The Vaikunthaperumal temple at Kanchipuram, in its historical panels carved on the inner walls of the cloister mandapa also gives insight into the life of the aristocratic class. Their costume follows the same pattern of an antariya fastened with kati-bandha and an uttariya hanging around the waist. However, a few peculiar details in the costume can be noticed. A panel (lower row) in the northern cloister wall has an image of a king wearing a short triangular garment, in the form of a kaupina (fig. 99). Another panel (lower row) on the north-western wall shows the king wearing an antariya having vertical stripes with circular bead like decorations on it (fig. 100). It shows the existence of special ornamental cloths, which the king used to wear in the court on different occasions. In many panels similar vertical stripes on the antariya can be noticed without the beaded decorations. They cannot be regarded as folds of the garment as the stripes clearly appear as fan like designs having borders. In several panels (fig. 101), where the king is shown seated on the throne in v=irasana pose, a prominent band is seen supporting His raised left leg, which He folds at the knee and rests on the thigh of the right leg. The exact significance of this band is not clear. Such a depiction is normally seen in the panels depicting Dakshinamurti with similar posture of legs. Perhaps, it has only a functional purpose of supporting the raised leg in its position. The very position of virasana is especially meant to indicate that the person depicted is in the act of teaching or giving instructions. Thus the portrayal of a king in this posture suggests that he is giving instructions to his subordinates either in the battle field, sitting in the camp or in his court in the midst of his officials. In all the panels showing the coronation seen, the king is not shown wearing the usual dhoti, but a short lower-garment reaching to his mid-thigh in the form of a janghia. Similar depiction of the garment can also be seen in one of the painting of Ajanta depicting similar coronation scene. Perhaps, such a garment was adopted during the occasion of coronation as the rituals involved ceremonial bathing with the sacred water. In many other panels showing the king seated on a throne placed in a court or camp, the king’s lower garment is often up to the knee or thigh only. However, in all the cases, the kati-bandha and uttariya around the waist is clearly visible. Perhaps, in these cases the king had folded, the antariya so as to facilitate him to sit, as indicated by the hanging pleats visible between his legs. At the same time, there are also some panels (fig. 102) on the eastern wall, where such pleats are not visible and they may be of the jhangia type, worn especially, while engaged in fighting or sitting in the camp.

From the above description of sculptures, it can be assumed that among the upper-class the main garment constituted–a lower garment or antariya worn either fully up to the ankles (purvoruka) in kachchha. Occasionally they also used a lower garment reaching only the thigh region in the form of jhangia. Wearing an antariya in the form of a skirt is also known as can be seen in an image of Siva (fig. 103) carved in the southern end niche in the aditala (western face) of Dharamaraja-ratha at Mamallapuram.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

More details regarding these waist-bands are described under the title waist ornaments.

[2]:

They have been identified with Simhavishnu and his son Mahendravarman I by H. Krishna Sastri, R. Gopalan, Michael Lockwood, Vidya Dehejia and Richard Davis; Narasimhavarman I and his son Mahendravarman II by H. Krishna Sastri and T.V. Mahalingam; Narasimhavarman II Rajasimha and his son Mahendravarman III by R Nagaswamy.

[3]:

Dr. R. Nagaswamy identifies that Rajasimha has caused to carve out the rathas and all other cave temples at Mamallapuram. So this image can also be identified as Narasimhavarman II Rajasimha (Transactions of the Archaeological Society of South India , 1960 –62, pp. 1–50).