History of Technology in India, Vol. I: From Antiquity to c. 1200 A.D. v1.c20.13

v1.c20.13

Kauṭilya has furnished a list of different types of textiles, viz., kṣauma (rough silken cloth), dukūla (fine silk), kṛmitāna (Chinese silk) and kaṅkata (cotton cloth). In the list of dye- stuffs, haritāla, manaḥśilā, hiṅgula, loha, varṇadhātu etc. are mentioned. Among the different types of woolen dress material, Kauṭilya mentions varṇaka (dyed woolen blanket) and saumitika, a black woolen cloth spread on the howdah of elephants. Among the woven woolen cloth, there is a mention of vanacitra, a type of dress-material in which different floral designs are made in the weaving itself. This implies that yarns were dyed in various colours and woven in different patterns. Bhingisi is another type of blanket in which eight pieces are joined to each other and this is black in colour. White shawls from Bengal and black ones from Puṇḍra Deśa are mentioned. Another cotton cloth well-known during the time of Kauṭilya was that fine variety from Madurā with different desings made of dots. It is quite probable that the famous tie-and-dye varieties of Madura saris are meant here (AS 1988. II.22.6; II. 11.103-108).