The Rashtrakutas and their Times c21.192

c21.192

Some of our inscriptions supply us interesting information about the sports and amusements of the age. Dancing was a favourite amusement. The Kadba plates support the inference in this respect to be derived from the contemporary dramas, when they observe that the ladies of the capital used to be charmed by the skilful dance of the dancers in the court of Kṛṣṇa I.¹⁵⁰ The presence of the dancing girls at the temples is also indicative of the same fondness. Inscriptions tho. 67 at the Rājarājeśvara temple at Tanjore records the provision made for the actors who took part in the drama at the time of the annual fair;¹⁵¹ a number of the Deccan records also mention the provision made for the rangabhoga of deities.¹⁵² The expression rangabhoga probably refers to the provision for Pauranic dramas, that used to be performed at the time of the annual fairs in the Deccan till quite recently. Such plays were organised also on occasions like Dasara, Holi, Rāmanavamī and Gokula-aṣṭamī. Kauṭalya refers to popular dramas organised by the villagers,¹⁵³ and we may well presume that they were fairly common in our period.