The Antiquities of Orissa v1.c10.309

v1.c10.309

Of boxes, scrutaires and the like I have also seen nothing. The *Mañjuṣā*, or trunk made of cane, is frequently referred to in Sanskrit works; but what it was like I cannot ascertain. Illustration No. 165, appears to me to be a specimen of the kind. It is an ornamented casket for jewellery or other toilet requisites, and was probably copied from a cane-made original. In Bengal, even to this day, the most important element of the trousseau is a small casket of wicker work with cloth lining and silver or kouri shell mountings, very much like the one under notice, and intended to hold pomades of beeswax, redlead or *sindūr*, combs, plaited hair strings, stibium, and other nicknacks of feminine use. The most important of these articles in the estimation of Bengali ladies is the redlead, because with it is associated their married condition. According to a verse in the *Mārkaṇḍa Purāṇa*, “no faithful wife who desires the longevity of her husband, should even forego turmeric, saffron, redlead, stibium, bodice, betel leaf, auspicious ornaments, dressing of the hair, chignons, bangles, and earrings.”¹⁵³ But modern belief is that redlead and an iron bracelet are the only two things which no married women should be without for a moment, and the rest are ornaments which may or may not be put on according to choice. The redlead is used for marking one or more spots on the top of the forehead, just where the hair is parted along the mezian line. Formerly paper stencils, representing elaborate floral devices, were in use for marking the forehead with *sindūr* or sandal paste, and they accordingly found a prominent place in the dressing case, but, except for brides on the day of marriage, they are not thought of now.