37. Household appliances (in ancient India)

Children : A reference has been made to delightful toys (khellanayani) being brought by a Vidyadhara for his sister, in the Vasudevahindi by Sanghadasa 5. However, no descriptive details of these are given. Furniture : The Vasudevahindi by Sanghadasa and the Vasudevahindi by Dharmadasa describe casually a number of items of furniture used by the rich and others. These may be summarised as follows:Seats: 6 The asanas were used to sit upon, as well as 1. Vasudevahindi by Dharmadasa, 102; for a graphic description of sita making a pet of her's dance, see Uttararamacarita, Act III. st.19. 2. Vasudevahindi by Dharmadasa, II. 135a. 4. Ibid.; I. lla, 42. 6. Vasudevahindi by Sanghadasa, 156. 3. Ibid.; I. 28ab. 5. Ibid.; 73.

363 sometimes to relax, and as such, were provided with inall. cushions (sovadhana) 1. It Sihasana was the throne of the king 2 depicting lions at the base or at the sides of it. The tirthakaras are referred to as occupying a 'lion seat 13 because of their excellence in spiritual field and superiority even to the king 4. The 'Sihasana' was king 4. generally provided with a footstool (payavidha) 5. The princes attending a svayamvara occupied couches (mamca) 6. The caranasamana, who visited the house 1. Ibid., 133, 281. 2. Ibid.; 190. 3. Ibid.; 5. 4. Bharata dictates that gods and kings should be shown seated on simhasanas; Natyasastra, Chap, XII, 215-227. 5. Jarasandha's footstool is said to be illuminated with the rays from the crowns of vassal kings, Vasudevahindi(F), 247%; other seats also had foot-sto ls, e.g. the foot-stool in the house of a courtezan is said to have been studded with five types of jewels; Vasudevahindi by Sanghadasa, 4. 6. Ibid., 78, 265.

364 of Vasudeva, was offered a wooden seat (kattahasana). A matanga lady is referred to have sat on a pithika when she was attending the savamaha' 2 1 There is also a reference to a seat on which a person was to be bathed (nhanapitha)? The seat used by the king, according to the Vasudevahindi by Dharmadasa, was called bhaddasana, the auspicious one 4. It was provided with a pillow (savassaya) and a foot-stool (padapidha) 5. At the canopy (vidana) of the bhaddasana were suspended camaras and garlands of jewels and flowers" 6 1. Vasudevahindi by Sanghadasa, 110. Bharata prescribes that a kasthasana should be offered to a Brahmana. The comm. explains the word kasthasana as a pithaka; Natyasastra, XVI, 215-217. 2. Vasudevahindi by Sanghadasa, 155. 3. Ibid.; 4. Amara (II.S. 32-33) makes a differentiation between a bhaddasana and a simhasana. The simhasana was of gold. Vasudevahindi by Dharmadasa refers to Kanaga bhaddasana (I. 34b; II. 58a). See also Vasudevahindi by Dharmadasa, 1.9-10. 5. Vasudevahindi(), 34b. II. 93a. 6. Vasudevahindi by Dharmadasa, II. 58a.

365 Besides the sihasana and bhaddasana several other seats, viz, garulasana, pakkhasana, disaruvasana, kamasana, were displayed on the kappapadavas. seats were provided with cushions (sovadhana) 1. 2 All these Seats meant for the other members of the royal 4 family were kamalapattasana, kanagapattasana, samkhavattasana, masuraya, katthasana, and kamcana Idha. Seats like kamalapattasana, kanagapattasana, and samkhavattasana had motifs, as their names suggest, of lotus leaves, golden leaves, and conch respectively. Vattovadhana which was occupied by princess Piyamgusumdari, one of the wives of Vasudeva, was a traditional seat in the royal It was probably a circular pillow. palace 6. 1. Vasudevahindi by Dharmadasa, I. 39b. 2. The queen, it seems, could share the same seat with the King. Princess Samali shared bhaddasana with Vasudeva; Vasudevahindi by Dharmadasa, I. 9b. 3. Vasudevahindi by Dharmadasa, I. 9-10. 4. Vasudevahindi by Dharmadasa, I. 96%; II. 209a. According to Bharata masturaha was meant for a courtezan, Natyasastra, Chap, XII, 215-27. 5. Vasudevahindi by Dharmadasa, I. 24b. Somasiri, when living the life of a prisoner, was provided with a katthasana, a wooden seat. It was the same as pitha. 6. Vasudevahindi by Dharmadasa, I. 9b.

366 While on excursion, such as to a park, however, furniture was not crried. Even the members of the royal family used raised platforms of mud and stone (pudhavisilapatta) to sit upon. Before sitting on it they spread their upper garment over it. Similarly servants put leaves on the floor and then sat on them. Sayana : 1 From the Vasudevahindi by Sanghadasa, it appears that only the rich used bestead, while the common people like farmers slept on spread grass 2. There is a reference to a couch (patlamka) On the cot was spread a bed as soft as the feathers of a goose and stuffed with pattatula type of cotton 5 over which was spread a white bed sheet (dhoyamsagasugamdhapacchadite). It was provided with a pillow (usisavaga) 7. A royal bestead has been described 1. Vasudevahindi by Dharmadasa, I. lla. 3. Ibid.; 296. 5. Ibid.; 230. 7. Ibid.; 167. 2. Vasudevahindi by Sanghadasa, 287. , 4. Ibid., 169. 6. Ibid.; 351.

367 as one studded with sapphires (Surapatinilamani), painted (cittakammabibboyana) and kept on firm bed platform (pidhiya). The bedstead was decorated with garlands of flowers¹. The vh(N) refers to the use of sejja, which with its surface probably knit with strings or straps, could be tightened. Princess Acchara explains to Vasudeva how straps tied loose, tight or lightly, brought about different effects for those who slept on them. She herself had tied her cot loose, so that the surface hung low in the middle. Such an arrangement allowed the lovers to be close to one another. A tightly strapped cot made it possible for an angry wife to sleep some distance from the husband on the same bed' d². 2 In the houses of the rich, the cot (pallamka) was decorated profusely. Over the cot were suspended camaras, festoons and garlands in the manner of a bhaddasana, an was decorated with bells all around ³. cot was also provided with a foot-stool 4. 3 The 1. Vasudevahindi by Sanghadasa, 180. 2. Vasudevahindi by Dharmadasa, II. 98a. 3. Ibid.; I. 25a. 4. Ibid., Il. 226b.

368 The savvatobhadda type of cot (pallamka) was provided with a flight of steps (somanaparampara) which made it look like a temple. A cot also had a canopy (vidana) over it. From it were suspended nots (jala) of gold and jewels¹. Over the cot was spread a very soft mattress with a bedquilt of cinupatta or khɔma 2 The bed became • more pleasant with a sprinkle of scents s³. Boxes : mamjusa fashioned of bell metal (kamsa) accommodating a small child could float over the river, water 4. The pedas" and karamdaka valuables. Pottalaya and madala were used for depositing were not actual boxes but served the pun, ose of carrying merchandise?, flowers and other requisites required for worship³, and also sometimes ornaments?. 1. Vasudevahindi by Dharmadasa, II. 57b. 2. Ibid.; I. 25a; II. 57b; Five-coloured dusa; Vasudevahindi by Dharmadasa, II. 136b. Somasiri slept on a bed of kusa grass during her separation; Vasudevahindi by Dharmadasa, I. 24ab. 3. Ibid., II. 98a. 5. Ibid., 40. 7. Ibid., 138. 9. Ibid.; 31. 4. Vasudevahindi(F), 119, 309. 6. Ibid.; 217. 8. Ibid., 65.

369 2 Boxes and receptables of different types like taliyamkapudal, vela (skt. peta), camgeri?, ratanakaramdaka², kumdaya+ and patala were used to deposit clothes and other requirements. Pots and Utensils : 5. 6 The general term for any type of pot or utensil was bhayana, which was fashioned out of a variety of materials, 10 viz clay, gold, silver and precious stones • Apart 1. Referred to among the items of furniture from Mamdaradeva's palace. Could it mean a box of tala leaves?; Vasudevahindi(B), II. 149a. Similar to the above is ppavalapadavela (a box of coral); Vasudevahindi(I), II. 148a. 2. Ibid., II. 149a. 3. Used for keeping devadusaluvala; Vasudevahindi by Dharmadasa, II 67a. It was one of the requisites at the time of worship%; Vasudevahindi by Dharmadasa,I.5b. 4. Knees are compared to this; Vasudevahindi by Dharmadasa, I. 15a. 5. Vasudevahindi by Dharmadasa, II. 149a; It was also used to carry flowers and unguents for worships; Vasudevahindi(1), 1.5b. Nevatthar padala (made of cloth)%3B Vasudevahindi( ), I. 5b. 6. Ibid. 149a. 7. Vasudevahindi(F), 170. The credit of the invention of pottery goes to Usabha. He prepared a kumbha by putting a lum on the temples of an elephant; Wh(P), 163. 8. Ibid., 204. 9. Ibid.;218. 10. ibid.; 64. Sometimes naturally available objects were used as utensils, eg. lotus leaves [Wh(F),142] dried gourd [Vasudevahindi by Sanghadasa, 147] etc.

370 from its use in cooking and eating, it could be used to store wine 2 and oil oil³. A particular shape and specialised use must have lent special names to pots Tavika 4 was a Loasing pan 5 while kalasa was a big jar used for storing sugar cane E juice and preserving copperplates (tambapatta, - potthaya) 7. In the lutter case it has been described as a tambabhayana a utensil made of copper. The food was brought in a sarava³, i.e. a trough 10 ' g or a shallow dish, or patthiya and served in dishes small 13 (patti)11 or big (thala)-2 or in mallaga 12 The last one, • 14 i.e. mallaga was narrow at the base and broad at the mouth. 1. References are available to the winnowing pan (supra), and mortar to pound mice; Vasudevahindi(F), 72, 44. 2. Ibid.; 226. 4. Vasudevahindi by Sanghadasa, 239. 3. Ibid.; 44. 5. See Deo. S. B. "Pots and Utensils in Jaina Literature", BDCRI, Vol XIV, no.1, p.38. 6. Vasudevahindi by Sanghadasa, 164-65. 7. Ibid., 189. 8. Ibid.; many copper plates from the Gupta period have been found in copper jars. 9. Vasudevahindi(F), 225. 10. Ibid., 290. 11. Ibid. 95. 12. Ibid., 239; See also Deo. op. cit., p.39. 13. Vasudevahindi by Sanghadasa, 146. 14. Ibid.

371 kaducchaya, used to fill an utensil carved from a dried gourd (tumba)1, was probably a small bowl. Phimgara, usually fashioned of gold, however, specialised function to serve. It was a sprinkler used to wash the feet of an honourable quest² and to had > sprinkle holy water over the head of newly married couple³. There is also a reference to a such a sprinkler (bhimgara) having an elephant spout (gayamuha)+. The Vasudevahindi(1) tells us that the vessels for the royal house were manufactured from gold und precious stones (kanagamanirzyana)5 and of material sucifas shells. 1. Vasudevahindi by Sanghadasa, 147. 3. Ibid., 280. 2. Ibid.; 90. 4. Ibid.; 66. Pots with animal spouts,e.g. makara spout > poplar have n were very popual in Gupta period. They been found in contemporary levels in the excavations at whicchatra (see Agrawala, V.S., Gupta Art, p.15) and Taxila [Marshall, J. (Sir), Taxila, Part II, P. 414; pl. 123, no. 5. Vasudevahindi(N), I. 38b; II.57a, 142a, 211b. 6. mani-samkha-sippi-bhayana, Vasudevahindi by Dharmadasa, II. 49a. 693.

372 The pots displayed on the desire-yielding, trees were tattha, kavittha, karodaka, kulumka, sirimumda, kumda, kumbha, kalasaga and utensils of the shape of (or having the motifs of?) a female goose, eagle, Vidyadhara and gamdhavva couples. Bhimgara, or a sprinkler as stated earlier made either of gold or silver ², was used for the purpose of worship ³, or for honouring a dignitary+. Pattapudayas were used to store scents (jutti) 5. A plate of gold 3 6 (kamcanapatti) was used to serve food Goblet (casaya)7 and vessels (bhayana) of gold and emerald (Maragada) 8 were used in drinking. 1. Vasudevahindi by Dharmadasa, I. 38b; tattha and others upto kumda have been referred to in the imgavijia, (pp. 65, 214). 2. Vasudevahindi by Dharmadasa, I. 5b, 120a. Amara (II. 182, 33) recognizes it specifically it to be of gold (kanakatu) and as an item of royal furniture. 3. Vasudevahindi by Dharmadasa, 1.5b; II. 120a. 5. Ibid., II. 57a. 7. Ibid.; II. 227b. 4. Ibid.; II.93b. 6. Ibid.; II. 193b. 8. Ibid.; I. 45b.

373 Lamps : One of the necessities in a house was lamps. Houses of the rich were equipped with lamps set in with jewels, which must have reflected more light². Lamps used elsewhere than the main rooms, even in the palaces ³, were simple oil lamps+. Some of the lamps had a chain they it with which could be suspended 5, while others had an arrangement of a lid which could be opened and shut a (samuggaka, pacchanndiva). This device was conceived to make the bearer inconspicuous in the dark. There is also a reference to a lamp with a magical wick (jogavatti) which did not extinguish even in places like a deep well?. According to the Vasudevahindi by Dharmadasa small lamps burnt with scented oil 8 were used both for worship and for light while moving from one place to another⁹. 1. Divamani, Rayanadivika, Vasudevahindi by Sanghadasa, 280, 178, 83. 2. Ibid.; 279. 4. Ibid.; 28, 32. 6. Ibid.; 48, 51. 8. Vasudevahindi by Dharmadasa, I. 134b. 3. Ibid., 249. 5. Ibid.; 65. 7. Ibid., 147. 9. Ibid.; II. 93b.

374 ·1 Incence burners (dhuvaghadiya, dhuvakuducehaya²) were used both in the temples ³ as well as in palaces with an obvious purpose. 3 Mirror: Mirror (ayamsaka, adamsana, adarisa) was one of the prerequisites of toilet. It was generally held in the hund 5. According to the Vasudevahindi(R) also they were to be found associated with the dressing room (pasadhana-gh_raya, sadappanumjana-sitthagasala). From both the Vasudevahindi(F) and the Vasudevahindi by Dharmadasa it is not clear of what material the mirrors were made. 1. Ibid.; II. 120b, 148a. 2. Ibid.; I. 5b. 3. Ibid., I. 5b; II. 120b. 4. Ibid.; II. 148a. 5. Vasudevahindi by Sanghadasa, 139, 160, 299. 6. Vasudevahindi(N), I. 39a.

375 Fan: The Vasudevahindi(F) refers to the use of the fans of tala leaves (taliyamta) even in royal families -. The flywhisk (balaviyani) was also in vogue². In the Vasudevahindi(), it is described that in the place of king Haricamda of Fedhapura different types of fans were deposited. They are named as Viyanukkhevaya, taliyamta and damsavaedaga 2a Curtains: Reference has already been made to the use of javaniya in the section on the position of women. The curtain was used in big houses' and palaces+. 3 1. Vasudevahindi by Sanghadasa, 115, 304, 327. 2. Ibid.; 202. 2a. Vasudevahindi by Dharmadasa, II. 57a. 3. Vasudevahindi by Sanghadasa, 132. 4. Vasudevahindi by Dharmadasa, II. 203b.