Ancient Indian Costume c3.2

c3.2

Though originally the idea of costume was only to cover parts of the body, it developed rapidly and nature contributed immensely towards the material sought for costume. Costume is not the same throughout the year. Kalidasa specially mentions how summer came in its rigour to give the beloveds of the prince lessons on the mode of dress, where the upper garments were delicately interwoven with jewels, pearl necklaces pendent on ever so pale breasts and the silken garments so fine that they could be blown away even by the softest breath: *athasya ratnagrathi tottariyam ekantapandustanalambiharam, nissvasaharya mśukam ajagama gharmah priya vesam ivopadeshtum. Raghuvamśa* 16.43.