Indian Art: A History of Indian Art from the Earliest Times up to the Third Century A.D. c13.s3.16

c13.s3.16

In the classical literature two kinds of sports are often mentioned, viz. Udyāna krīḍā (garden sports), salila-krīḍā (water sports). The Matanga Jātaka (4/376) describes how Diṭṭhamaṅgalikā the daughter of the rich merchant of Vārāṇasī used to go out with her female companions to celebrate the festival of Udyāna krīḍā. According to the Uddālaka Jātaka the priest of the king of Vārāṇasī took his beloved to the outer gardens of the city for enjoying garden sports. Aśvaghosha, Kālidāsa, Bhāravi, Māgha etc. have given vivid descriptions of such garden and water sports, showing that the tradition handed down from earlier times was much expanded in literature and art both of which were indebted to the realities of life.