Chandragupta Maurya and His Times c11.38

c11.38

Washermen (*Rajakāḥ*) The dirt of clothes was attended to by the washermen who had to do the washing in fixed places on wooden planks or stones of smooth surface. Washing elsewhere was punished with a fine. There were various rules framed to secure honest dealings by washermen. Their own clothes were marked with a *mudgara* in order to distinguish them from others. They were fined if they used clothes other than those so marked, or if they sold, mortgaged or let out on hire the clothes of others. The substitution of one's clothes for another's was also punishable. Making delay in washing was also punished with fines. Washing was to show four degrees of whiteness in the stuff washed. The time allowed for washing corresponded to the degree of whiteness required. For example, 4 nights were allowed for best washing showing the utmost whiteness. Only a night was allowed for simple washing and removal of dirt; 5 nights were allowed for simple colouring (*tanurāgam*); 6 nights for colouring with indigo (*nīlam*), saffron flowers (*pushpa*), lac (*lākshā*), and *mañjishṭhā* flowers. Costly clothes (*jātyaṁ vāsaḥ*) which required much skill, care, and labour (*guruparikarma yatnopachāryaṁ yatnasaṁskāryam*) were to be returned after 7 nights [IV. 1].