History of Technology in India, Vol. I: From Antiquity to c. 1200 A.D. v1.c37.s1.t1.2

v1.c37.s1.t1.2

India being a tropical country, the use of leather was much less for footwear among the working class who were poor and illiterate and often barred from wearing by the Caste Hindus from later Vedic period. However, the demand for a variety of footwear from Kṣatriya and Vaiśya were quite high. The demand from the priestly community was meagre and their necessity was fulfilled by using cheap and simple leather as well as wooden sandals.