Pre-Buddhist India: A Political, Administrative, Economic, Social and Geographical Survey of Ancient India Based Mainly on the Jataka Stories c5.210

c5.210

Allied to weaving is dyeing. Although no direct information can be gathered as to this undoubtedly an important industry, the variety of colours known to the *Jātakas*¹ and the mention of garments, rugs and curtains as dyed scarlet, orange and yellow and red, among others, should be sufficient to establish the fact.² Even an umbrella is said to have been red-coloured.³ Moreover the word "*Caṅgavāra*" occurring in a couple of *gāthās*⁴ and meaning dyer's straining cloth⁵ should dispel any doubt that may be lurking in our minds as to this fact. The word *rajaka*, ordinarily meaning a washerman and occurring in a *gāthā*,⁶ should also include a dyer. One *Jātaka* actually indicates the existence of coloured clothes in the dyers' street—*rajaka-vīthi*.⁷