The Antiquities of Orissa v1.c10.457

v1.c10.457

The favourite colour in Vedic times was the bay, and perhaps also the chestnut or the colour of the sun, *aruṇa*. This is what was to be expected, for the Central Asian sire of the Arab was a bay. In one or two places the sun is described as having glorious white horses; spotted mares, (dapple greys?) are also alluded to,²³¹ but subsequently, milk-white coursers were preferred. In the *Lalita Vistara*,²³² the dark grey of the colour of the cloud (iron-grey) is most extolled as befitting an emperor.