1. Materials for Garments (d): Grass clothes

Grass garments were usually worn by hermits, ascetics, and those performing religious practices. Grass was also worn by those who had to fulfill a vow. Usually Darbha or Kuśa grass was employed for making such garments. We have reference to Kuśacīra in Pañcarātra^[1] of Bhāsa. Similarly in Pratijñāyaugandharāyaṇa^[2], Bhāsa mentions a Darbhakṛtottarīya. A Kuśa skirt was recommended for a sacrificer’s wife during the ceremony^[3]. In Vālmīki-rāmāyaṇa^[4], Rāma, Lakṣmaṇa and Sītā are depicted as clad in Kuśa grass during their exile.

In addition to the above mentioned, we come across some other materials in Vedas and Brāhmaṇas. Some of them are Tārpya, Barāsi, and Dūrśa. Of these Tārpya is a kind of silk and was usually used for religious purposes. Thus Tārpya was one among the dress of a sacrificer. According to one belief recorded in Atharvaveda^[5], one should enter Yama’s abode being properly dressed. Hence to symbolise this, in those days a dead body was made clothed in Tārpya. In the view of Swaswatidas^[6] and S.C Sarkar^[7], Tārpya is prepared from the fibres of Baras tree. Tasara is another kind of material, which is referred to by Rājaśekhara^[8]. Dresses were even made of lotus filaments. In Harṣacarita^[9], we meet with Sāvitrī wearing such a breast cloth. It was tied in knots in Svastika form in between her breasts.