History of Technology in India, Vol. I: From Antiquity to c. 1200 A.D. v1.c20.12

v1.c20.12

There are many references to cotton fields, use of dyed cotton and silken clothes in ancient Prākṛt texts also. It is mentioned that cotton seeds were treated with red lac juice in a special manner to get red-tinged cotton(Sar. S. Arhaṭa Prakaraṇa) Dyed cloth was liked by everyone in ancient India, and women, especially, were proud of wearing dyed garments. Raktadukūla or red silk was very popular. Plantain green also was a favourite colour. Red blouse was considered an ornament for women. The orange-red colour is described as the colour of kusumbha flower. Literary texts of this period are replete with references to the colour indigo. Indigo is a very fast colour and was used in a large scale for dyeing cloth as it sticks well to the cloth. Abhisārikās who were eager to meet their lovers in the dark, used to don themselves in dark blue dresses dyed in indigo so that they could not be seen by others in the dark (Gāt. S. II.65; IV.60; VI.69; VI.45; Gau V. 255). Our ancients could name different colours and hundreds of different tints by identifying them with the natural colours of the flora and fauna.