The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1882-01-07
The Fabrics of India.

Its marvelously ly woven tissues and sump-
tuouslv inwrought apparel have been the
immemorial glories of India. India was
probably the first of all countries that per-
fected weaving. and the art of its gold bro
eades and flmy muslins, "comely as the
curtains of Solomon, is even older than
the Code of Manu-. Weaving is frequently
alluded to in the Vedas. Ushas is the
daughter of Heaven. clothed withradiance
In the hymn in which Trita prays to be
released from the well in which he is con
fined. he says, Cares consume me as a rat
gnaws weavers thread In the hymn
to Apris oscurs the line, Day and night
spread light and darkness over the extended
earth like two famous female weavers weav-
ing a garment The Yajur Veda mentions
gold cloth or brocade, for counterpane
No information is given in the Rig Veda of
the materials of which clothes are made,
but in the time of the Ramayana and Ma
habharata, cotton, silken and woollen stuffs
are constantly mentioned In the Ramay-
ana the nuptial presents TO Sta, the bride
of Rama. from her father, consisted Of
wooIlen stufTs furs, precious stones, fine
silken yestments of divers eolors, and prince
" ornaments and sumptous carriages. The
Ramayana gives no names of places where
particular articles of clothing were made !;
but in the Mahabharata, in the enumera-
tion of the presents which the feudatory
Princes brought TO YudhiSthira as their
Lord Paramount. mention is made of furs
from the Hindu-kush, Of woollen shawls
of the Abhiras from ta1arat and Of clothes
Of the wool If sheep and goats, and Of
thread spun by worms, aud Of plant fibre
Themp1 woven by the tribes Of the North
western Himaaya; of elephant housings
presented by the Princes of Eastern Hin
drls;an. and of pure linen muslin, the gift
of thy people of Gangam, the Caraatic, and
Mysorc. Weaving and dyeing are eontin-
ually mentioned in the Code Of MANN. and
in other ancient works black cloth Is ap-
propriated to the Indian Saturn, yellow to
Venus and red to Mars In the ancient
sculptures the women are represented both
in richly embroidered hrocaded robes and
in muslin 50 fine as to fully expose their
form. the lines of its folds. or Of its silk
snd gold edging. traced across their hsslies.
being the only evidence that they are
clothed On the Ajanta Cave paintings
the women's rphes are blue which still Is q
favorite color with Indian wumen. The
Hindu p0eis are very eloquent on the charm
ing effect ot fair sienna -eomplexioned) J
woman dressed in blue, likening il 10 that
Of dark cloud hghtea up by the radiant
IRE Of beauty. Il Is, however, considered
indecent for woman Of the twiee-born
cast,s to wear a blne dress unless it be of
silk. excepting in the case Of Brahnini
woman al night, Kshatriya womsn while
a bride or at feast, and Faisya woman
when performing sFdsl,ika But they all
take off auy blue cotton dress they nav be
wearing during meals One Of the most
ancient epittets of Vishnu Is pitambara,
clothed in yellow garments The Indian
heruits. in the oldest mention Of them, are
required to wear clothes of yellow oehre-
eolor. all others being free to wear any
color If yesture they please When the
Greeks. with Alexander, arrived IN India,
thcy noticed that the garments worn hy the
people we're made &c 'trce wool or wool
produced in nuts, and MagT.stheness
+ l.Strsho. xx., l.. 5S-56 and 50 adds -
+ Their robes srv worked IN gold, aud orna-
meased With various stones, and they EeaI
also fowcred garments Of the finest muslin
No conventional ornament Is probably morl
aneicn, than the eolered stripes and pat
terms We find ON India costoa cloths, and
the cotton carpets called sIiraagis. In the
ki5aoobs. OF silk brocades, the ornamental
designs betray conflicting influences. Iii:
very difficult 10 say when silk-weaying
passed from China into India, and it would
appear as If there were no conclusive evi
dcnee Of It's having been known in Western
ASIA until Jussinian introduced it in ths
sixth century through Persia from China
But there Is no Doubt that the broeades oI
Ahmcdabad and Benares and Murshesiabad
represeu; the rich staffs Of Babylon
wrought, A. we know they were, with hg
urcs Of animals ia gold and yariegates
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