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History of Technology in India, Vol. I: From Antiquity to c. 1200 A.D. v1.c20.s2.t2: Dyeing agents in ink

History of Technology in India, Vol. I: From Antiquity to c. 1200 A.D. v1.c20.s2.t2

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Dyeing agents in ink

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Dyeing agents are required in the preparation of inks also. The relic vase of the stupa at Andher, believed to be of 2nd century B.C. contains inscriptions written with ink on its surface. The inkpot found during the excavations at Taxila was on examination found to contain black carbon mixed with earth and this provides an evidence for the use of carbon ink in ancient India during the Kuṣāṇa period. (Archaeological Report, 1929, 30.209). There are several other archaeological evidences which throw light on the use of ink even before the Christian era. In ancient times, red lead and minium (hīngula) were used as substitutes for ink. The Kharoṣṭi documents from Khatan prove the use of ink in the 1st century A.D. Ancient painted inscriptions are still found fresh in the caves of Ajanta. The Jains have also used coloured inks extensively in their manuscripts. Professional writers were known by the names lipikāra and śāsana lekhaka (Śiv.R. V 15.86). It is well known that scholars and poets were writing on birch bark and palm leaves.

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All these references imply that ink was used extensively for writing and that ink manufacture was in vogue. Ink for writing on bhūrjapatra (birch bark) was made by converting almonds in to charcoal and boiling the coal thus obtained with gomutra (urine bovis). Though nothing much is said about the recipe of ink in any ancient texts, in lexicons like Śabdakalpadruma we come across many synonyms for masi like masijalam, kālī, añjanam, rañjani, malīñambu, etc. We can gather a few details regarding the preparation of ink in ancient India from a few sources of the later medieval period also. Buchanan has recorded ink manufacture in the form of liquid and solid. Lampblack was collected from earthen lamps of linseed oil and was mixed with the gum of Mimosa indica and a little water and rubbed in an iron mortar for three hours. Gall nuts were infused in the water and strained infusion was added to the rubbed material. After rubbing for six hours, the pot was kept in sunshine till they reached the consistency to make small lumps which were again dried in the sun (Ray, pp. 235- 36; Gode, pp.24-25). Even today lampblack is used as an essential ingredient for ink with an addition of gum, inknuts, sugar, etc.

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Jain texts contain preparation of different inks for writing on paper and on palm leaves. The former is made by mixing a coffee coloured infusion of roasted rice with lampblack and then adding sugar and sometimes juice of a plant called kesurte. For the other type also juice of kesurte was used with a dicoction of wheat flour. Since such inks are completely free from mineral substance, strong acids do not injure the substance of the paper and hence the writing never fades and it retains the gloss also.

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Generally the dye-stuffs producing black and red colour were used in preparation of inks. Sometimes haritāla (yellow orpiment) also was used. The use of haritala was very common in old manuscripts for correction of letters or deletion. Clothes were marked with marking inks known as dhoby's ink prepared generally from organic dyes like ink nuts etc. free from carbon.

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Rasaratnākara of Nityanāthasiddha of about 1200 A.D. gives recipes for preparing ink for writing on palm leaves and birch barks. The ingredients prescribed are abhaya (haritākī, chebulic myrobalan), āmalaka (Emblic myrobalan), nīlikā (dyer's indigo), kāsīsam (Green vitriol), vibhītaka (Beleric myrobalan), kārṣṇayam (black iron), sahacarapatram (Justicia ecbolium), oil of vibhitaka, flowers of sahacara, seeds of mango, asanakusuma (flowers of kino tree), lohacūrṇam (powder of iron), extract of decoction of asana, etc. Most of the above ingredients are no doubt dye-producing agents used in the preparation of inks of various colours (Ray, p.236)

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Several literary works of ancient India contain many references to the use of cloth for writing, particularly for writing letters. Valkalapaṭṭikā or piece of bark garment was used for writing purposes. Passages from kādambarī of Bana refer to this and also to the use of fine white cotton stuff. The main ingredients that are mentioned in these passages are the extracts of leaves of tamāla tree mixed with the fragrant ichor of elephant and a dark blue dye.¹¹

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