Sanskrit literature -Valuable Source

To Study the Textiles and Costumes

Abstract

Anamika Pathak, Curator

apathak.nm@gmail.com
Textiles and Decorative Arts
National Museum, New Delhi-1
Parul Bhatnagar, Lecturer
parulpb@gmail.com
Textile Designing Section, Faculty of Arts
Dayalbagh Educational Institute (Deemed University), Agra

Literature is the mirror of society of any country, which gives the insight of cultural and
social activity prevailing in that particular period. The Sanskrit literature, is full of
information. Whether it’s linguistic, philosophy, religion, culture or cultural activities?
People have studied it with different perspective. Here it is focused on a very interesting,
but lesser known aspect "Valuable Source To Study Textiles and Costumes" in Sanskrit
Literature.

Sanskrit literary text right from the Vedas to Epic, Kalidas and Banbatta gives
most valuable information about Textiles and Costumes. The four basic material (cotton,
silk, wool and bast fibers) from which textiles are created were used by the people from
very early stage of our civilization, warp and weft weaving got mentioned in Veda, golden
deer story of Ramayan, Daupadi’s chira-haran of Mahabharat, Kalidas’s Sakuntala and
attire of Gupta period The "Harshcharita" which mentions emperor’s three tier outfit,
different type of uttariya and antariya.

As it’s very difficult to assimilate the entire Sanskrit literature with in limited
period, only few have been touched upon here and when these are seen in sculptural and
painting art it makes a very interesting resource and gives a clear picture of that period. An
attempt has been made to look at these and co-relate them with literary references
mentioned in Sanskrit literature.

Keywords: Literary text, Textiles, Costumes, Sculpture and Painting.