The Cambridge History of India, Vol. I: Ancient India v1.c26.168

v1.c26.168

The customs would naturally differ considerably from one region to another in India, then as now. Among the Kshatriyas of the Punjab (Cathaeans) and their neighbours of the principality of Saubhūti (the region of Gurdāspur and Amritsar?), according to Onesicritus, personal beauty was held in such estimation that kings were chosen for this quality, and a child two months after birth, if it did not reach a certain standard of comeliness, was exposed. The dyeing of beards which Nearchus described in the passage already quoted was especially a custom in this part³.