Ancient Indian Costume c6.s2: Early Satavahana
Ancient Indian Costume c6.s2
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Contents
- c6.s2.t1 Costume — 7 parts
- c6.s2.t2 Military Costume — 1 part
Early Satavahana
c6.s2.1
(200–100 B.C.)
Costume
c6.s2.t1.1
The people of the Deccan were a hybrid race, a mixture of the aboriginal Dravidians and foreign invaders. In the first century B.C. their costumes too were an interesting mixture of foreign and indigenous garments. All these clothes are represented in Caves IX and X in Ajanta.
c6.s2.t1.2
In the first century B.C. we find tunics, *kancuka* in the stripes or beehive design worn by attendants or hunters. The *kancuka* are of mid-thigh length with short or long sleeves; in some the opening is on the left side, and in others it is at the front. The tunic worn by a king in hunting dress has no discernible opening at the neck, so it is probably at the back. Necklines too differed in that some were V-shaped and others were round in shape. With the tunic a thick *kayabandh* was wound once or twice around the waist. An elaborate turban *ushnisa*, intertwined with the long black hair of the aborigine wearers was also worn. In addition to these, hunters wore two-bar type sandals with a strap for buckling, which is still seen in the Deccan. As influences from the north and from foreign invaders percolated, the Dravidian aboriginal village women too changed their costume using short *antariyas*, large *uttariyas* with elaborate broad borders covering the head and back, *tikkas* on the forehead and a series of conch or ivory bangles on the arms. Except for the skirt, they looked very much like the Lambadis who are a gypsy tribe of the Deccan today.
c6.s2.t1.3
In the royal court dress of the Mauryan-Sunga people the female attendants wore transparent long *antariyas* with loose *kayabandhs* tied in a knot at the centre having beautiful ornamental tips. Their many-stringed girdles or *mekhala* were made of beads. Shoulder-length hair held by fillets or top knots tied at the centre of the head seems to denote that these attendants were foreigners, although nothing in the garments worn seems foreign. The king and most of his courtiers wore the indigenous *antariya*, short and informal at home, with the longer style worn in a variety of ways on ceremonial occasions. With this the decorative *kayabandh* was tied in different styles and knots. The *kayabandh* could be tied like a thick cord or be worn looped in a semi-circle at the front with conspicuous side tassels, or be made of thick twisted silk. The *ushnisa* was always worn and a crown or tiara was used when necessary.\
c6.s2.t1.4
The aboriginal jungle women wore rolls and headbands with peacock feathers attached. Village women and commoners wore their hair in a simple knot at the nape covered by a large *uttariya* which, at times, had elaborate broad borders. Court attendants and women of the richer classes wore their hair more fashionably, either in a top knot on the right side with a loop of flowers suspended or in a plait. A fillet, simple or gold embroidered, could be worn to hold it in place.
c6.s2.t1.5
Most often, the long hair of men was worn intertwined with lengths of cloth to form an *ushnisa* in a variety of ways. Frequently it had a knot—the original top knot of the aboriginals—covered with the cloth of the turban. This knot could be at centre front or protrude over the forehead in a 'conch-shell' shape, or the tuft of hair could be visible on top of the turban.
c6.s2.t1.6
Jewellery in this period had a massive primitive character in strong contrast to that worn in the later Satavahana period. When indigenous garments are shown on men, whether at court or in villages, all wear some form of jewellery. But when the foreign dress, the *kancuka* or tunic, is worn by hunters, attendants, and soldiers, very little or no jewellery is seen. Most often it consists of just earrings of the wheel-pattern type.
c6.s2.t1.7
Indigenous jewellery however, consisted of *lambanam*, earrings, and a pair of *kangan* and *baju band* for the males. Women did not wear the *baju band* but wore a large number of bangles made of conch or ivory, disc-type earrings, the *lambanam*, and *tikka* on the forehead. Women attendants at court wore, in addition, the *mekhala*.
Military Costume
c6.s2.t2.1
Soldiers wore short-sleeved tunics or jackets, with elaborate headgear consisting of either a turban with a top knot, chin band and ear flaps, or two top knots with a turban. They were equipped with axes, and bows and arrows, or carried sickles. Palace guards however wore the *antariya* with a heavy cloak draped over the left shoulder.