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Life in Ancient India as Depicted in the Jain Canons, with Commentaries: An Administrative, Economic, Social and Geographical Survey c9.s22: Luxuries

Life in Ancient India as Depicted in the Jain Canons, with Commentaries: An Administrative, Economic, Social and Geographical Survey c9.s22

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English

Luxuries

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The people were fond of luxuries as we have seen. We find them well-attired, fond of ornaments, wreaths, flowers, perfumes, unguents, etc. Among the requisites of a gentleman mention is made of toilet, ornaments, clothes, garlands, food, perfumes, instrumental music, dancing, drama and singing.¹²³

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¹²³ *Brh.* *Bhā* 1 2557, cf. *sunahātā suvilittā kappitakesamassu* *āmuttamālābharaṇā* (*Paramatthadīpanī*, the com. on the *Udāna*, p 7).

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Great care and attention was bestowed on hair dressing and hair cutting by ancient Indians.¹²⁴ The *colapaṇa* or the ceremony of tonsure was an important ceremony held at the birth of a child. Great care was taken in hair cutting on the occasion of renunciation ceremony.¹²⁵

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¹²⁴ The *Rāmāyaṇa* and the *Mahābhārata* contain frequent notices of the braid, and the neglect of the coiffure as a mark of grief or violent excitement; R. L. Mitra, *op. cit*, vol. I. p. 210 ff.

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¹²⁵ *Nāyā* 1. 29 f

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We hear of toilet saloons (*alaṅkāryasabhā*)¹²⁶ where a number of attendants performed the toilet of a number of *samaṇas*, *māhaṇas*, orphans, sickly and poor people.¹²⁷

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¹²⁶ *Paramatthadīpanī*, the com. on the *Udāna*, p. 333 refers to *alaṅkārasattha* which dealt with the rules of hair cutting.

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¹²⁷ *Nāyā*. 13, p. 143.

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The luxury of the people is evident from the use of the large number of gold, silver, ornaments and jewellery. The kings, princes and the wealthy went out surrounded by servants and attendants with an umbrella decorated with garlands of *koraṇṭa* flowers held over them.¹²⁸ They were taken out in a litter in a gorgeous procession accompanied by damsels standing with yak tail in hand or carrying a fan or a pitcher¹²⁹ The rich people possessed palatial buildings, married several women, made magnificent donations, paid large fees to courtesans and enjoyed rich festivities.

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¹²⁸ *Anta.* 8, p. 19; *Ovā.* Sū. 27-33

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¹²⁹ *Nāyā.* 1. p. 30 f.

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The middle class people too lived a life of ease, and indulged in charities, and made gifts to the order. The hardest lot was those of poor people who earned their daily wages and with great difficulty could make their both ends meet. The poor labourers often suffered from the hands of money-lenders for whom they had to work as slaves for the non-payment of the debts.

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