The World of Courtesans c13.32

c13.32

The "sprinkling sport" (*lechana-krida*) was held in spring during marriage festivals and during victory celebrations. After bathing in a river the king invited the members of his family, officers, musicians, poets, jesters and others. The distinguishing feature of this festival was that the courtesans had all to dress in white garments, wear gold ornaments and garlands. They bore a sandalwood *tilaka* on their foreheads. The inmates of the harem also participated in the festival. A tank within the palace was filled with water mixed with saffron, sandalwood, musk, camphor, agallochum and sweet smelling flowers. The women sat round the tank. They held pitchers and syringes in their hands. At a given signal they drenched the king with coloured water and he in his turn pelted them with silk balls. They threw coloured water upon him and sported with him in other ways. The festival lasted till the evening.