History of Technology in India, Vol. I: From Antiquity to c. 1200 A.D. v1.c20.11

v1.c20.11

Buddhist literature also testifies to the fact that colours were obtained for dyeing purposes from the roots, stems, barks, leaves, fruits and flowers of trees. With these dye-stuffs many beautiful designs of flowers, hoods of serpents etc. were made on the dresses of varied colours of the gṛhasthas (MV. 8.10.29). Among the dyes or colours used by ancient Indians, we find frequent mention of indigo (nīla), lac (lākṣā), turmeric (haridrā), maddar (manjiṣṭhā) and resin (rajana). In Samyutta Nikāya it is said that just as a dyer or painter with dyes or lac or turmeric or indigo or maddar and a well-smoothed wooden panel or wall or piece of cloth can produce the form of a woman or a man completed in every detail, similarly the uninstructed ordinary person brings body (rūpa) into existence, brings feeling, perception etc. also into existence (SN. III.22.100). The Vinaya texts of the Buddhists also describe six sources of dyes for robes - dyes made from roots, trunks, barks, leaves, flowers and fruits of trees. The dye was extracted from these raw materials and the robes were dyed in a trough. Ever since the day of Indus valley civilization, the process of preparing the solution of dyes in large vats and dipping and agitating the cloth in them were followed by the dyers.