History of Technology in India, Vol. I: From Antiquity to c. 1200 A.D. v1.c20.15

v1.c20.15

It is well-known that Lord Kṛṣṇa is described as wearing yellow coloured clothes while his brother Balarāma is fond of blue robes. Even other deities are described as wearing different coloured clothes. In the list of occupations a raṅgajīvin is referred to from which it can be inferred that the art of dyeing was well-known (Bra. Pu 44.30). It may also refer to a painter. Kṛṣṇa and Balarama defeated the raṅgakāraka of Kaṃsa and took away dyed clothes from him. Lord Kṛṣṇa is also described as wearing clothes decorated with powdered pigments of gold (suvarṇāñjana cūrṇa)². From all these references it is evident that generally, locally prepared vegetable and mineral dyes were in use. Most common colours in the early centuries were white, red, yellow, green, black and blue. Some colours were of darker as well as of lighter shades. Some became deeply set after a wash, being coloured with the help of a machine. Even though the references to the technique of dyeing cloth with the help of machines are found in later medieval texts (Bas. Pu. III.V. 160), we may presume that this was practised even in ancient India because dyed clothes were very popular then.